


On the Courtship of Monkey D. Luffy: A One Piece Mermaid AU Story

by yukipri



Series: On Strangest Tides: A One Piece Mermaid AU [3]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Ace and Luffy on the same crew, Endgame Polyamory, F/F, F/M, Female Monkey D. Luffy, Genderbending, Marriage Proposal, Mermaid Luffy, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Sabo regains his memories earlier, Slow Burn, They a lil confused but they working on it...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:54:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27675005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yukipri/pseuds/yukipri
Summary: "Does your friend know," Koala says, voice so painfully sweet it's gone bitter, "that he's given Luffy the human equivalent of an engagement ring?"A single seemingly innocent gift is all it takes to set tensions aflame when most of the crew is in love with their oblivious mermaid Captain.This fic's working title was "Marco's Bauble" on Tumblr.(The closest thing this AU has to a "main story.")
Relationships: Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco/Monkey D. Luffy, Koala/Monkey D. Luffy, Masked Deuce/Monkey D. Luffy, Monkey D. Luffy/Everyone, Monkey D. Luffy/Nami, Monkey D. Luffy/Portgas D. Ace, Monkey D. Luffy/Portgas D. Ace/Sabo, Monkey D. Luffy/Roronoa Zoro, Monkey D. Luffy/Sabo, Monkey D. Luffy/Vinsmoke Sanji, Thatch (One Piece)/Monkey D. Luffy
Series: On Strangest Tides: A One Piece Mermaid AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2021656
Comments: 122
Kudos: 315





	1. It started with a Bauble

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! Thank you so much for checking out this fic!
> 
> This fic is one of many stories that makes up the single continuous On Strangest Tides AU (One Piece Mermaid AU). Unlike the other shorter stories in the previous work "On the Ship's Log," this one is a single story that encounters some of the shippier elements in this AU, namely the Everyone x Luffy stuff, so I decided to give it its own separate fic.
> 
> I think(?) this can be standalone by itself, but reading the other parts will probably help you understand the AU better as a whole, so I hope you check them out!
> 
> A note regarding the ships in this AU: all of the tagged ships have a prominent role in this work, and I don't consider them sideships, but rather all endgame to varying degrees. This isn't really a "Who's gonna end up with Luffy?" kind of fic, so much as " _HOW_ do they all end up with her?" fic, because I love me my happy endgame polyamory.
> 
> Final note: because this particular work focuses on the more romantic(?) elements, it currently has more ships listed than some of the other works in this series, BUT again, it's all the same AU, so I will likely be adding these tags to other works in the future as well, and vice versa.

It's only been a few weeks since they've left Dawn Island, and they're still in East Blue but they've somehow already more than doubled the number of brats on board. And while the Moby Dick is far from boring, Thatch has had more adventures in this short timespan than he's had in years, and he's _thriving_.

Sure, he still feels little twinges of guilt for basically ditching his duties, but he's growing, in ways that the stability of an established Emperor's crew hadn't allowed, and he knows that he'll be a better, more useful man to Pops and the others by the time they've caught up in the New World. Honestly, he's wondering if he should recommend these kinds of experiences for all the commanders, and wonders how Pops would feel about that.

But it's on one of these days and brief moments of calm when Thatch is daydreaming about his family in the New World when he spots a blue seagull circling far above them. It's weirdly shiny, and Thatch immediately recognizes it as a species native to an island in Pops' territory, and one that is unusual all the way here in East Blue.

Which means only one thing: Marco's checking in.

A quiet whistle from Thatch is all it takes for the seagull to come spiraling down, and Thatch remembers to take a quick glance around deck to make sure Luffy hasn't spotted it; he's learned the hard way what it means for a bird to land on deck when the ever-hungry mermaid is feeling a bit peckish.

But the bird lands safely on the rail close to Thatch's arm. It's by no means nearly as brilliant a blue as Marco, but certainly more beautiful than most birds you can find out at sea. Thatch still remembers the first time he found Marco making friends with the things, remembers laughing hysterically and making all sorts of bird jokes as Marco, then still a teen, looked more and more like the constipated old man he eventually grows up to be.

Well, jokes aside, the birds are now incredibly useful, serving as Marco's personal messengers to their allies across the world. Which, huh, Thatch supposes that includes him now, which is kind of an odd feeling.

And while Thatch wants to feel flattered that Marco's checking up on his favorite best bud, he also knows that Marco's checking up on their littlest little brother, and the little brother of that little brother (baby brother^2, Thatch and Marco had fondly dubbed her between the two of them, when Ace first told them about her). Because while Thatch's definitely accompanying Ace and co for his own selfish reasons (and he also swears it's not _just_ so he could encounter the love of his life, darling Luffy), he also knows that Marco and Pops had ulterior motives for letting Thatch go, beyond just allowing Thatch to stretch his legs.

When Ace had asked, uncharacteristically shy, if he could still be one of Whitebeard's sons without formally joining his crew, and when Whitebeard responded with an affirmative--Thatch wonders if Ace really understands what that meant. A good parent, a good _father_ is definitely a foreign concept to him (and unfortunately for Luffy too, Thatch has found, and knows that Pops will adopt her the moment he meets her if he hasn't already). And the Whitebeard pirates don't take the bonds of family lightly.

So while yes, Thatch is here for his own adventures, he's also very aware of what he represents, both to his family and to the world. For his family, his presence on board maintains the connection between the Whitebeards and Ace. Ace is still so very new to their family, and while no one doubts his competence, he still has much to go in terms of learning to _rely on them_ , on learning that the Whitebeard pirates will _always_ have his back. And well, East Blue is kinda far away, too far for a shout to be heard on the Moby. So Thatch is here acting as their representative, and he couldn't be more honored to have the role. He is, if nothing else, _excellent_ at being a nagging older brother, and it's the role he's easily found himself fitting into here.

But the other reason is that Thatch is the Fourth Division Commander of the Whitebeards, and no one who knows anything about pirates would fail to recognize him, and the weight of his presence. He knows people won't immediately make the connection that this crew has already been adopted, or even what that means because it's not quite the same as a subordinate crew or ally, but Thatch's presence establishes an undeniable connection between them and one of the Four Emperors. Thatch knows that when he makes eye contact with the marines and they balk, it's not just him they see: it's the huge, looming shadow of Whitebeard himself. And until the world learns to see that shadow behind Ace, behind all of the ASL pirates...well, Thatch will stay right here.

The blue gull on the rail looks at Thatch expectantly, and Thatch lets it perch on his shoulder as he makes his way to the kitchen. Sanji glances up in surprise and squints at the bird, but doesn't say anything as he returns to preparing dessert for the ladies (it's a reminder that Thatch should be doing that too, or else the snot-nosed cook will one up him in earning the favor of Luffy, or at least her stomach). Thatch decides to make this quick, and grabs two cookies from the hidden cookie jar, as well as some parchment and a writing utensil.

Thatch knows Marco wants to know how they're doing, but well, the timing of the gull is awfully convenient, so he's taking advantage.

_Dear Blue Chicken Sautéed in Pineapple Sauce_ , Thatch writes, taking advantage of the opportunity to write in "code," despite the lack of confidential information and the low risk of one of Marco's blue gulls being stopped. He'll take every opportunity to tease, thank you.

_The stove on this ship works great, and the fish is beautiful._ Thatch's pen moves before he really thinks about what's coming out. _She's stolen my heart, I think I want to marry her._ Thatch pauses, and...huh, well, honestly he's not exaggerating, is he? He'll let Marco guess how serious he is (he's suddenly uncomfortable because _he's_ not sure how serious he is himself, but that's a thought for another time).

And now, the most important part of the letter: _PS - I dropped my hair wax in the ocean. Can you send me an extra from my room?_

Because, tragically, Thatch _had_ \--and now his beautiful pompadour is a sad mess that's tumbling down his shoulders. Thatch knows he could pick up another tub of hair wax on any of the islands they’ve stopped at, but he has _standards_ , and he needs his _special_ wax that he’s used for decades, which is unfortunately only found in the New World.

Which makes his current situation stuck in East Blue quite tragic, except it isn't quite as heart-breaking as Thatch had thought it'd be, once he realized how much Luffy likes playing with his loose locks. That, and the sheer number of times Thatch has been finding himself overboard recently would have made putting his hair up again after every plunge a pain--but, well. It'd still be nice to have the familiar weight of his hair wax in his pocket again.

Thatch decides to omit the major change with himself since he last saw Marco that resulted in the hair wax being lost in the first place: the fact that he's eaten a devil fruit. Because that's a surprise. Thatch wants to see Marco's face when he realizes how badass Thatch has become, controlling _Darkness_ of all things.

(Well, Thatch has to actually get good at it first, and stop almost drowning. It's coming along.)

Thatch wraps one cookie in the letter, tying it into a neat parcel, and feeds the other to the bird as thanks for his services. The bird takes off as soon as Thatch opens the door.

Well, now Thatch has a lovely mermaid to feed, and a baby cook to outclass.

~~

Thatch sees the next blue gull a week later, damn those things are _fast_. It's carrying a parcel this time, and Thatch reaches out gleefully, because he doesn't remember the last time he's had his hair down for this long and he can't wait to have his signature hair style once more.

The bird doesn't stick around this time, and instead just drops the parcel into Thatch's hands before wheeling back the way it came.

And...huh. The parcel's not the right size, or weight to be Thatch's hair wax.

Thatch squints suspiciously, as Ace comes to stand by him, staring after the gull. "Marco?" he asks, and Thatch grunts, already feeling grumpy and just knowing he's not gonna be thrilled by whatever Marco sent.

He opens the parcel, and inside is a little blue bauble, wrapped in Marco's infuriatingly precise, fancy shmancy handwriting.

_Dear Soggy Bread, congratulations on graduating from a baguette. May you evolve into a better bread next time. PS - The stone's for baby brother^2_.

Ace ignores Thatch's enraged yowl and plucks up the stone--before cursing and dropping it. Thatch's reflexes manage to catch it before it hits the deck, and he immediately knows why Ace dropped it in the first place.

The stone immediately feels _weird_ , not necessarily in a bad way, but in a way that distinctively reminds Thatch of the sea. He's familiar with what the stone is, but not how it feels, and is reminded once again of his relatively new status as a devil fruit user. At Ace's questioning (and wary) look, Thatch explains, as a good older brother should.

It's a special stone made on Fishman Island. There's a chip of seastone at its core, which is then wrapped in a mix of glass and crystal. It's a luxury trinket popular with a lot of young mermaids, because it's pretty, but also feels like the essence of the ocean is in it, which can be immensely comforting to most merfolk and fishmen.

While not the purpose, the glass and crystal casing also ensures that devil fruit users can touch it without feeling weakened, though they can still sense the sea from it, hence why it feels weird.

Thatch hates, _hates_ to admit it, but it's a ridiculously thoughtful (and _expensive_ ) gift for a mermaid devil fruit user who can't enjoy the sea directly, _damn Marco_ for thinking of it first! Thatch would have happily emptied out his savings to gift one to Luffy himself, but now he can't because then he'd just be copying Marco. The smug bastard's definitely teasing him by trying to woo Thatch's crush from half a world away. Marco hasn't even met her, this is just a game to him, but Thatch's serious, _damnit!_

Thatch wishes he could be petty enough to lie and say the bauble is a gift from yours truly, but he can't, because as much of an asshole as Marco can be, Thatch still loves him. Sigh.

Luffy chooses that moment to slide across the deck to them like a playful sea lion, slamming into Ace's legs and snaking up him in a split second to peer over his shoulder at whatever her brother's looking at in Thatch's hand. Ace isn't fazed and doesn't even twitch.

Thatch sighs dramatically. Adorable little brothers and their adorable little brother^2s, damnit.

Thatch dutifully presents the little stone to Luffy, as Ace warns her not to drop it, _it's gonna feel a bit weird ok_. Thatch lets Ace take over rattling off the information he'd just conveyed, doing his own duty as Older Brother, and is instead transfixed by the way Luffy's eyes widen in wonder as she rolls the shiny thing from one hand to the other.

While Luffy's not really the type for jewelry or trinkets, it's clear she's enthralled by the stone, the way she is with few inanimate objects other than food. Thatch belatedly notices that the stone's a brilliant crystal teal, with shards of gold obscuring the dark seastone center, the same color as _someone's_ Zoan form. Bastard.

"Who's it from?" Luffy asks, and Thatch knows he's told her about his crew before, but she's unlikely to have remembered any names.

He may not lie about who the gift's from, but it doesn't mean he can't take revenge.

"A pineapple man who can turn into a burning chicken," he says with a straight face, ignoring Ace's frantic gestures to abort.

Thatch finds out why moments later, as Luffy's eyes widen impossibly more, and he belatedly realizes that to Luffy (and probably only Luffy), he'd just made Marco sound like the coolest person in the world.

Thatch meets Ace's furious eyes apologetically even as Luffy's _COOOOOL!!!!!!_ rips across deck, and they both sigh.

They're not looking forward to Luffy meeting Marco.


	2. Luffy's Mystery Rock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone else thinks it's just a pretty bauble, but Koala, well versed in Fishman Island culture, recognizes Luffy's so called "Mystery Rock"...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes at the end of the chapter!

It's during one of Koala's Fishman Karate sessions when _That Thing_ falls out of Luffy's pocket.

At first, Koala thinks she must have imagined it, because _why would Luffy have one of those_.

But then Luffy drops the stance she's been struggling to hold, concentration shattered, and pounces on the little thing that's trying to roll away from her on the deck.

"Ah, my Mystery Rock!" the mermaid cries, confirming that no, Koala didn't imagine it.

Koala stares with dawning horror as Luffy scoops the thing up, rolling it between her palms to make sure it hasn't been damaged. Luffy's moving to stick it back into her inner vest pocket when Koala stops her.

"Luffy...where did you get that?"

"Oh this?" Luffy's eyes light up, and she shoves the thing right up and personal in Koala's face.

Koala can see it clearly, the aquamarine glass with shards of multi-faceted crystal and gold flakes embedded in it, with a small, dark core made up of none other than seastone. It's unmistakable.

"Thatch gave it to me!" Luffy continues, and Koala's already moving, spinning on her heel towards the kitchen because she is going to _throttle_ that damn cook--before Luffy adds, "It's not from him though! It's from his friend! The pineapple-bird man!"

Koala freezes, her fury towards Thatch dwindling, but she still feels her heart pounding louder than it should be. She only has a hunch who the pineapple-bird man is, and it's a hunch she desperately hopes she's wrong about, but the point still stands: a _man_ had given Luffy her "Mystery Rock."

"Luffy," she says, trying to keep her voice light, hoping it isn't cracking with the hysteria she feels inside. "Do you know what that is?"

"It has a sea rock inside!" Luffy says, proud that she's remembered what Ace told her. It's _seastone_ , but close enough, Koala thinks. "It's got glass and stuff on the outside, so I can touch it without getting tired! But it still feels like the sea! It's my magical Mystery Rock!"

Koala nods and smiles, even though she feels her lips strain. "Anything else?"

Luffy blinks. She couldn't be more obvious about pulling a blank, for which Koala is immensely grateful.

Okay, okay. So. Luffy knows what the object _is_ , but probably doesn't know what it _means_. Which means Koala can relax. For now.

She forces herself to take a deep breath. She shouldn't jump to any conclusions.

"It's a very nice Mystery Rock," Koala smiles sincerely, and it really, _really_ is.

Much _nicer_ than Luffy's likely aware of.

"How about we take a break for today. Do you want to go show Ace the basic water pulse you can do now?" Koala suggests, and Luffy beams with her whole face and Koala's blinded. It lasts only an instant before Luffy's stretching her arms to grab a rail, slingshotting herself away in the blink of an eye, leaving Koala feeling like a cloud just passed over the sun.

Koala heaves a huge sigh. She's never been more grateful for the lack of Sabo's presence during Fishman Karate sessions, because if Sabo had seen Luffy's "Mystery Rock," and if he had asked Koala to explain its significance...well.

Things would not be pretty.

And despite how objectively beautiful the bauble is, things are _already_ very Not Pretty inside Koala now. She has some words for Thatch's _friend_.

~~

Thatch's surprised when Koala of all people enters the kitchen (Lil Lesbian No. 2, he'd secretly nicknamed her). He'd just kicked Sanji out with the trays of desserts and beverages they'd made, telling the younger man to go enjoy the sun while Thatch finishes cleaning up and starts prepping for dinner.

Thatch honestly wishes he could be the one to present the sweets to Luffy, but he's also mature enough to let this opportunity go to Sanji. The boy'd practically been twitching with excitement while adding the last loving touches to the parfaits.

It's fine, Thatch is an adult. And by staying in the kitchen, Thatch also gets to prepare and therefore present the enormous steak that'll be part of dinner (and which is Luffy honestly going to be more excited for, a parfait or sea king steak?).

Either way, Thatch's just about finished, and checks his dials one last time before turning to give his visitor his undivided attention.

"So, did the parfaits interrupt your time monopolizing my future fiancee, or...?"

Lil Lesbian No. 2 smiles sweetly, or rather bares her teeth, and doesn't return Thatch's greeting. Rude.

"Thatch, who gave Luffy the seastone trinket?" she demands without prelude.

And huh, so that's what they're going to talk about. Thatch blinks. No, he hasn't forgotten about it, and yes, he's still bitter, but he's also a bit alarmed by Koala's intensity. It's just a nice gift...right?

"One of my crew mates," he says cautiously, not seeing any reason to lie. "My friend. Marco."

"Marco the Phoenix, First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates," Koala mumbles, and Thatch can see her pulling up all the mental files she has on him. Thatch has learned that the young revolutionary has a terrifying mental database of pretty much anyone who's made a name for themselves in any way, and reminds himself again to never take his teasing too far, because he does _not_ want to make an enemy of her.

Her blackmail-compiling finished, Koala smiles thinly. "So Thatch, do _you_ know what that bauble is?"

Thatch feels like he's being tested, and whatever he says is going to be wrong. "It's a fancy thing you can buy at Fishman island? Costs a small fortune? The mer ladies always seem super happy get them as gifts? I'm not sure what you're asking here," he shrugs helplessly under her glare. He really doesn't know anything else. Fishman island may be Pops' territory, but he's certainly no expert on their culture beyond studying their cuisine.

"And your friend, does _he_ think the same?"

"I don't know what that bird-brain thinks! If you're going to kill him, go after him, not me," Thatch groans. "Are you going to actually tell me what's wrong, or...?"

Koala seems to debate about something, and Thatch hears _Sabo_ muttered under her breath. She then starts to chuckle, and it's a dark, unpleasant sound. Thatch is more than a little concerned.

"Oh the mer ladies like receiving them alright," she mutters.

She takes a deep breath, like she's hyping herself up for something, and now Thatch is tense too.

"Does your _friend_ know," she says, voice so painfully sweet it's gone bitter, "that he's given Luffy the human equivalent of _an engagement ring_?"

Thatch stops breathing.

A beat, then,

" _THAT BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!_ "

Ace pops his head into the kitchen. "Anything wrong?"

" _NOTHING!_ " Koala and Thatch scream in unison, and Ace jolts backwards in alarm.

"Alright...then. I'll...be back later?" Ace blinks like a puppy confused as to why he's just been kicked, but he still shuffles back outside, politely closing the door behind him.

Thatch feels pretty awful about making his little brother slink out of his own ship's kitchen, but holy _shit_ does he not want Ace to hear this right now.

Luffy with an _engagement ring_.

Ace'd explode, then Merry would burn, and then everyone would drown and that's a very sad ending to their short-lived adventure.

"The _fuck_ ," he hisses to Koala, just in case Ace is still lurking outside.

"That's what _I_ want to say to _your_ First Division Commander!" she spits back, and alright, fine, maybe she has every right to be upset. "Who does he think he is, giving Luffy something like that? I haven't even asked her out yet!"

Thatch isn't sure if that last part is entirely necessary, and mumbles, " _My_ future fiancee," but Koala steamrolls right over him.

"Did he do it intentionally, or is he just an ignorant human like you?"

Thatch wisely keeps his _You're human too_ comment to himself. "Again, I'm not him, _I don't know!_ "

Thatch _thinks_ Marco doesn't know the weight of the gift he's sent. At least, he hopes so. No one on the Moby believes Thatch because they think Marco's always a stuffy mother hen, but Thatch knows Marco can play some pretty nasty pranks when he wants to. But Marco wouldn't pull something like this, it doesn't feel in character for him. He can be a pain in _Thatch's_ ass, but he wouldn't drag in Ace's little brother who he hasn't even met yet. But then again, it also feels weird for Marco to not have looked up the significance of something he spent his own money on. It's all very strange and confusing.

Even so, Thatch is with Koala this time, and is totally okay throwing his older brother under the ship so to speak, because the bastard hasn't even _met_ Luffy, and there's no way he'll support this "engagement," or whatever the hell this is.

"You know," Koala says, far too pleasantly for the mood. "Sabo's going to kill him when he finds out."

Thatch shrugs, he has no intention of helping his friend. "Eh, Marco can handle it, he's strong."

"No, you don't understand," Koala insists, and oh there's that sadism back in her expression. "Ever heard of the Fort Gray incident? That was all Sabo. And Sabo's going to _murder_ your friend."

Thatch _has_ heard of that, few on the Grand Line haven't. And...oh. Maybe _Chief of Staff_ is actually a pretty terrifying title after all. "Marco's fine, he's strong?" he repeats, a little less confident.

Koala snorts, and spitefully grabs a handful of the caramelized pecans on the countertop and shovels them in her face as Thatch squawks protest. He was going to use those!

"I can't wait till Ace hears, because then there'll be two of them," she cronches as Thatch sadly rummages in the cabinets for more pecans. "So now the question is, do we warn your friend or not?"

Thatch isn't feeling particularly charitable, but he also feels betrayed and wants to know what Marco's thinking. The next time one of those damn birds comes, he thinks, he has some questions to ask the Phoenix.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The incident refers to the mission in Sabo’s flashback in the anime expanded content at the end of Dressrosa. I dun think it actually had a name/location (could be wrong), so made it up and yes my naming sense is creative I know LMAO.


	3. Namur

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Namur, Eighth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, experiences some reverse culture shock.
> 
> (Marco finally makes an appearance)

Namur takes great pride in being a fishman in the Whitebeard Pirates.

Fishmen and merfolk are usually reluctant to join human-dominated organizations, and with good reason, given their long and painful history of suffering prejudice. And for those few who do feel the call of pirating, joining Jinbe and the Sun Pirates to be among their own kind is a far more natural and comfortable choice.

Jinbe's a good friend, and Namur has nothing but the highest respect for him and Aladine, but he's already chosen who to follow.

Pops, who stood up and protected Fishman island with just one word. Pops, who lets them keep his flag on the island without any tribute, which not even the world government would allow. Pops, who personally brings the wrath of colossal waves and quaking earth every time humans try to bring trouble to the undersea oasis.

Namur knew that he'd be alone among humans, but he trusts Pops, and trusts those who follow him and protect his home alongside him. And given everything he's done for Fishman Island, Namur feels it only fitting that fishmen be represented on the crew.

And so Namur became the first Fishman to join the Whitebeard pirates, but he wasn't the last. By the time Namur had been raised to the rank of 8th Division Commander, a handful of others had joined, along with a number of other people from various tribes considered not quite fully human. Some minks, some longarms, even one guy from a sky island.

In a crew as massive as theirs, diversity isn't surprising, and Pops has ensured that they've never been alienated. Even so, the 8th Division became a natural gathering spot for those seeking others who are also a little different, and Namur's damn proud of his versatile, unique division that can handle missions that no other group can.

Namur's happiest aboard the Moby, and it's his one true home now. But at the same time, after spending so much time away from Fishman island, he sometimes misses his birth homeland and culture.

Which is why it feels like reverse culture shock when something familiar appears in front of him with no warning.

Like right now. On Marco's desk.

"Uh," Namur says eloquently, reports in his hand forgotten, eyes glued to the Thing that Marco's now wrapping in what looks like a letter, written in Marco's unmistakable elegant cursive.

"Sorry, I'll be done in a second, yoi," Marco says, and Namur freezes, realizing he must have intruded on possibly a very private moment--except Marco doesn't seem particularly bothered.

Well, even if Marco doesn't mind, _Namur_ still feels awkward, and forces himself to avoid looking at the now-wrapped Thing. He really feels like he just saw something he shouldn't have. Had he knocked before coming in? He thought he had. He thought Marco had told him to come in, but now he's not so sure, because dropping by Marco's office to hand in reports is so habitual. Namur begins to sweat.

"Alright, what is it?"

Marco turns around, and he's wearing those glasses he always wears when he has to pour over documents for hours, that somehow make the legendary Phoenix look less like a terrifying warrior and more like an exhausted secretary. He's wearing his usual open shirt, Pops's mark proudly emblazoned on his chest, and his head still looks like a tropical fruit, and his face still looks kinda stoned. So, the usual Marco. Nothing amiss.

But maybe he's just hiding it. Humans can be so hard to read at times, and Marco wears his poker face better than most. Even though Namur's been his crew mate for roughly twenty years now, he still can't really see through it. Namur fidgets, palms feeling slick.

"Reports from the Eighth's last mission?" Marco prompts, and Namur flinches because oh, he'd been staring.

"Uh, yeah," he forces out, and raises his arm mechanically to pass over the bundle of documents he'd spent the entire morning writing up.

He notices that Marco uses his right hand to take it. He's heard that sometimes, humans wear the equivalent of the Thing on their left hand, and Namur realizes he hasn't seen (or perhaps just hasn't noticed) Marco's left hand in a while. He wonders if Marco's actually hiding it, and sneakily tries to peek at Marco's left side.

Apparently not sneakily enough, because Marco's sharp eyes flick to his side to try to catch what he must have thought Namur was trying to see, and Namur hastily straightens.

They stare at each other and the silence stretches awkwardly, and oh, Namur can tell this one, Marco looks very _Confused_. It comes off as sorta constipated, but Namur knows Marco well enough recognize the emotion on his questionably human face, and immediately feels bad. He didn't mean to act suspiciously, or snoop in Marco's personal life, but...he's so unbearably curious.

Namur supposes honesty is better.

"Marco," he tries to choose his words carefully, "that, on your desk..." Namur makes a vague jerky motion at the Thing.

"Oh, this?" Marco plucks up the little bundle that's now tied off with twine. "I was just going to send it off to Thatch."

Namur chokes on his own spit.

"You're, _Th-Thatch_?" Namur wheezes. "You're giving...to him?!"

Namur feels like he's just been sucked into a whirlpool, his world's suddenly tilting in every direction all at once. He doesn't have a problem with them being, y'know! Of course not! He supports his friends! It's just, well, he's _surprised_ , because he'd never even suspected these particular brothers were anything but close friends, because it's _Marco_ and _Thatch_ , and he's been living with them for twenty years and--oh no, did everyone other than Namur actually know all along, is this _Human Stuff_ again--

"Oh, no," Marco says with a soft laugh. "This isn't for him, yoi. He's just delivering it for me. It's for Ace's little brother."

Namur heaves out a huge sigh of relief. It's not Thatch. Oh thank goodness. Not that he doesn't think that Marco and Thatch wouldn't be great together. But. He's glad it wasn't just Namur misunderstanding...

Namur chokes on his own spit, again.

" _Ace's little brother?_ " he tries hard not to shriek, and it comes out even tinier than expected, barely a whisper of a strangled sardine.

Marco frowns a bit at Namur's weird voice and offers him a bottle of fresh water from his side desk, which Namur shakily accepts. This is a lot to process.

"She's...ah, Ace said it's alright if Division Commanders know, but try not to spread this around too much. But she's a mermaid. I thought it'd be fitting," Marco says, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Ah," Namur nods, feeling numb. That _does_ make a lot of sense, far more sense than giving That to _Thatch_ at least.

A _mermaid_. Ace referring to his mermaid sister as "brother" also makes plenty of sense, given how vulnerable mermaids are in the world of pirates. In fact, it makes _so much sense_ , and Namur wants to applaud Ace's discretion, he doesn't seem the type to have that kind of tact and Namur's genuinely impressed, but his mind's also kind of overloaded right now.

"Although, Namur, since you're here..." Marco looks down at the parcel, dwarfed in his palm. "Do you think she'll like it? Or is it too bold, from someone she's never even met?"

It might be a trick of the light but...does Marco look, _demure_?

Namur's eyes bug out.

Holy shit. This is the real deal.

Namur's never known Marco to have a personal life or interest in anyone, the man's the definition of dedicating his life to the crew. But perhaps he was just being discreet, because surely everyone has a _some_ soft spot or another, and Namur has just found Marco's.

And _they've never even met?!_ They have a long distance relationship too. She's all the way in East Blue, and they correspond via letters and packages. All those oceans between them...

And on top of that, a _mermaid and phoenix_. She, bound in water, reaching up for the unattainable, while he, bound to the sky, doomed to drown if he touches her domain...like epic lovers torn apart by fate, just like the fairy tale of the fish princess and the bird, beloved by all fishmen and merfolk...

Namur feels his eyes sting a bit from the tragic romance of it all. But now Ace and Thatch have gone to retrieve her, and she'll be coming home to the Moby Dick soon. They'll be united. They'll get their happy ending.

Namur reigns in his overflowing emotions, remembering that he has an important task.

_Do you think she'll like it? Or is it too bold?_

Marco has consulted in Namur, his close friend, his fishman expert confidant. This is his time to shine, his chance to give back a little for all the kindness and support Marco's shown him all these years. And Namur _will not disappoint_.

Namur composes himself, and then takes his reports back from Marco's hand, letting them go because they're suddenly utterly unimportant in light of Marco's blossoming future. He then grasps the now-empty hand, so warm and human, with both of his webbed ones. Marco's eyes widen in alarm as the papers flutter all around them, but Namur ignores them.

"Marco, I promise you, she'll love it," Namur pours every ounce of sincerity he has into his words, and feels his eyes begin to water again from the weight of it all. "I just want to say, I'm super happy for you, brother, and you can come to me for anything."

Marco stares at Namur, and Namur wills him to understand the depth of Namur's dedication to helping his dreams come true.

"...Right. Thanks, yoi?"

Namur doesn't see Marco's eyebrows climb up into his little mop of hair, doesn't notice him try and fail to extract his hand, doesn't notice him looking completely and utterly lost.

Because Namur's so overwhelmed. _They grow up so fast!_ His friend's taking his next big step in life! And Namur gets to see it through! Being alive is incredible!

~~

Namur leaves eventually, and Marco stares blankly after him, hand still cramped from being death-gripped by the fishman for who knows how long.

He has no idea what just happened.

He then looks at the reports that are now scattered across his entire office.

"...He could have at least picked them up, yoi..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Namur is a hyper minor but canon character! His backstory/personality is entirely made up bc we know so little about him, but he's relevant to this AU for obvious reasons ^ ^


	4. Izo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Namur learns about makeup, and a secret doesn't stay a secret for long.

Namur values his crew's privacy. And given that he doubts he was even supposed to see Marco's secret, he absolutely can't disclose it to anyone.

Which is why he's snuck into Izo's room at ass o'clock in the morning, when everyone but the morning shift is asleep, but Izo's awake because he takes a few hours doing his hair and makeup.

"This had better be good, I don't usually enjoy an audience before I'm presentable," Izo says.

Namur doesn't really get what's unpresentable about Izo now. Sure he looks different, but still perfectly nice, with his ridiculously long hair still loose and spilling to his waist, pulled back from his face with a seemingly simple band that Namur saw Izo drop a small fortune for. Izo's plucking up various bottles of liquid lined up on his vanity, methodically shaking a few measured drops into his palm before patting them into his face. Namur doesn't see any difference before and after the drops are applied.

"It's...it's not my secret to tell, but no one else seems to know, and I need to talk to someone, it's too big for just me," Namur says, reluctantly. "But you can't tell anyone, Izo, I mean it."

Izo just hums in response, and Namur sweats. He seems to be doing a lot of that these days. Maybe he needs to take a few days to just swim, being above sea level for too long can be stressful for fishmen.

Because this is already seeming like an increasingly bad idea. Izo isn't known for being particularly good at keeping secrets; if anything, he's a known gossip. That being said, he's also one of the best listeners aboard the Moby (it's how he gets his info), and more importantly, is the third best person to go to for good, thoughtful advice.

The best person to go to for advice is, of course, Pops, but Namur wilts at the mere thought because it really, _really_ isn't his place to talk to Pops about this without Marco's consent. And unfortunately, the close second for Best Person to Go to For Advice is none other than Marco himself, everyone's Big Brother and caring Mother Hen Supreme.

And, well. It's not like Namur can go to Marco to talk about Marco.

"Well, I'm waiting," Izo says, and apparently he'd gone through his entire lineup of six little bottles of mysterious liquids, and is now blotting some paste onto his skin with a weird brush-like contraption. Namur squints, but can barely see any difference between the areas with the paste and without.

" _Please_ don't tell anyone, unless they already know," Namur stresses again, praying.

"Yes, yes." Izo continues blotting.

"Marco proposed to someone."

Izo continues blotting.

Namur sweats.

Izo's hand gradually slows, and Namur realizes he's finished covering his entire face. Namur sees zero difference.

"Just so we're clear," Izo says, as he finally turns to face Namur. "When you say 'Marco,' we're talking about the fire chicken one, and when you say 'propose,' we're talking about the marriage, weddings, and babies type?"

" _Babies?!_ "

No, no, that actually hadn't crossed Namur's mind, but it's there now, and he knows logically that devil fruits don't work like that, but his mind is suddenly filled with the image of an entire school? flock? of tiny colorful winged merbabies, and he's _oh, oh NO they're so cu_ \--

"Namur! Focus, please!"

Namur blinks. He doesn't know when it happened, but one of Izo's eyebrows is more defined than the other now.

"Yeah, that Marco," he confirms. "And I, I don't know about...the last thing, but yeah, if successful, usually the kind that results in marriage type."

Izo's oddly calm, and is facing his mirror again. He frowns momentarily, but then smooths his expression and begins applying his other eyebrow. Namur realizes that Izo's able to keep his face so smooth because he wants to draw on his face evenly, and that's actually quite impressive. Though, he has no idea why Izo needs more eyebrows, when he already has perfectly normal ones growing on his face.

"Who's the boy who stole the stupid pineapple's heart, it must be someone we know," Izo says, voice light.

Namur wasn't exactly planning on disclosing this much, he'd just wanted someone else to help him think of how best to support their brother's potentially upcoming union, but Izo's definitely not taking no for an answer, and that's a fight he knows he can't win.

"It's Ace's little brother, the one Thatch went to go fetch," he says reluctantly. "And even though she's his 'little brother,' she's apparently a girl, and a mermaid."

There's a clatter, and Izo curses. Namur tries to peer at Izo's face in the mirror, and notices a weird black blob by his eye that Izo's now trying to delicately smudge off. It wouldn't have been there in the first place if Izo hadn't been trying to poke himself in the eye with the weird brush thing. Namur really doesn't get this makeup business.

"You're telling me," Izo growls, and Namur flinches at the irritation, though he gets the feeling it's directed mostly at the eye blob. "That Marco's _straight_? I could have sworn he was gay!"

Namur blinks at Izo.

Izo blinks at Namur through the mirror. The eye blob makes his face look slightly crooked.

"Oh, right," Izo mutters, picking up his brush with face distorting ink again. "I thought Marco only liked guys like that, so it surprised me that he likes a girl. Maybe he's bi. Don't worry about it, it's a dumb human thing."

"Oh," Namur says, and yeah, he's heard vaguely about humans being weirdly obsessed with only liking a specific gender or two. It's a very foreign concept that Namur doesn't really get because it doesn't exist on Fishman Island, and romance stuff rarely comes up on the Moby, shockingly enough, or at least in front of Namur. But he's glad Izo doesn't seem too upset, because that would upset Namur. Namur's never met Ace's little brother, but he imagines she'd look so very charming next to Marco, given how in love Marco looked when he was sending off his proposal. He wants to root for them.

"Although, hm, does Ace know? I doubt he'd be very happy about Marco sweeping his dearest little brother off her feet, er, fins," Izo says, seemingly more relaxed now that his face distorting paint is cooperating. His face is now even, although his eyes actually do look different now, more like the Izo Namur usually sees. It's fascinating.

"I don't know," Namur confesses, and he's suddenly feeling very glum at the thought of their little fire cracker baby brother not being happy. Even though Ace didn't formally join, he's still their littlest brother, and Namur's very fond of him, and has honestly lost track of the number of times he's dived into the sea to fetch the reckless kid. He was honestly devastated when Ace said he was leaving. It's alright now, now that Namur knows it was just to bring home Marco's future bride, but he hopes Ace will be supportive too.

"And how did you know he was proposing?"

At this point, what does it matter what else Namur shares? "Well..."

By the time Namur's done answering all of Izo's questions on Fishman Island courtship and Marco's respectful application of it, Izo's done with his face.

"Well, that was certainly a fascinating talk," Izo says with lips the color of a raw fish's innards. "Now I'll have to kick you out before I do my hair. At least I finished my face."

Namur knows he's been excused. "Thank you for your time. Also, it looks very nice, your face," he says politely as he gets up. It seems awkward not to comment on it, after having watched Izo work so hard on it for the past half hour. "Although it looked nice before too. I like the eye paint."

Izo pauses contemplatively, then nods. "That's an acceptable compliment. Thank you. Now, shoo."

~~

"So, who's the wedding for?"

Izo jolts as Haruta settles his tray on the other side of the table.

"What wedding?"

"Don't play dumb. You're planning a wedding. I noticed some of our books were moved in the library, and you were the only one who was in there before me. You were looking up Grand Line marriage traditions, and going through shitty wedding magazines that no one's touched in a _decade_ ," Haruta rattles off as he stirs his soup, and Izo inwardly curses.

He thought he'd placed them all back where he'd found them, but alas, apparently nothing gets by Haruta's observation skills, and his talent for butting into business that has nothing to do with him.

"And given the selections, I'd say it's not for you." Haruta continues, as though he knows Izo's tastes by heart and sadly, he probably does, and not just Izo's but the whole crew's. "So someone's getting married, or they're thinking about it, and you're planning. I want to know who."

"You're a nosey little shit," Izo says, because he knows there's really no point in denying it to Haruta without tangible evidence, which he lacks. He's also too tired to deal with this shit, because he did his hair in a hurry in order to make it to the library before everyone woke up, which means it's slightly less perfect than usual. And being anything less than perfect is a truly exhausting business.

"Mm-hmm," Haruta says, and momentarily seems distracted by his plate. There's a tiny, almost imperceptible frown on his lips, and Izo only recognizes it because he'd had the same thought.

The food's by no means bad, and they have many fine cooks on the Moby. It's just, it's a little different, without Thatch's personal touch. Izo hates that their brother's temporary absence is so tangible. Damn him for going on his little vacation.

They continue their meal in silence, and Izo hopes that Haruta's forgotten, his mind having moved on to terrorizing other innocent brothers. Izo thinks he might be able to get away, when Haruta gets up right alongside Izo to return his tray.

"So who is it?" he repeats, as though they hadn't just sat in thirty minutes of silence, and Izo wants to tear out Haruta's hair in frustration, because Izo would never tear out his own hair for any reason.

"It's none of your business, don't you have work to do?"

"My work is knowing stuff. Tell me."

"This isn't something you need to know. That's what I'm telling you."

"Nice try. Lemme guess. Is it Marco?"

Haruta laughs at his own joke, and promptly walks into Izo's back. Izo tries to get over his momentary freeze, but the damage is done.

"Holy shit, it's _MARCO_?!"

"What happened to Marco?" Vista has the absolute worst timing in entering the cafeteria, because he's standing directly in front of them. He already has his sword sheaths removed from his belt, no doubt so he can polish them in a corner after he's done eating, as is his usual ritual.

Haruta's eyes are blown wide, and Izo wants to stop him but no one can out-talk Haruta when he wants to talk, so it's like watching a cannonball hurtling towards an inevitable collision.

"Marco's getting _married_."

Vista never drops his swords.

Vista's swords clatter to the ground.

And now everyone inside the cafeteria, and those in the line forming outside behind Vista, all stop to stare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're enjoying this work, I'd really appreciate any comments or kudos! m(_ _)m Hope for interaction is what keeps me posting here!


	5. What happens in Jozu's room...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whitebeards gossip.

"Does the meeting have to be in my room?"

Jozu's room feels cramped with six commanders crammed inside. The Commander bedrooms, which double as their offices, aren't exactly spacious. They're still the only crew members who even have their own private quarters, so no one complains. Of the Commander's rooms, Jozu's is the largest, simply to accommodate the fact that Jozu's physical bulk is several times that of any other Commander. So naturally, Jozu's room is where they gather when they need to have the rare Secret Meeting, away from any of Pops's rooms or public spaces that anyone can walk into.

"I don't even know why we're here," Jozu mutters mostly to himself, perched awkwardly on the edge of his own bed. Vista and Rakuyo take up the rest of his mattress, because Izo's commandeered Jozu's desk and chair. Izo's even brought a mirror and makeup kit, and is putting eyeliner on Namur for some reason. Haruta's sitting on the floor by the door, to "keep watch," apparently.

"You can leave if you'd like, it's private anyway," Rakuyo smirks. He's only been let in on the secret because he'd been the one to make up the lie at lunch, announcing loudly that Haruta had actually shouted about _marigolds_ in Izo's new perfume and not _Marco_. And oh yeah, Vista's allergic to them! Hence the overreaction, of course.

It's a miracle their other brothers bought the honestly bizarre lie, and Rakuyo secretly thinks that they most definitely heard but are bro enough to play along because the other Commanders had looked so pathetically desperate for them to pretend it never happened. But well, it worked out for Rakuyo, who was able to corner Izo and Haruta (trailed by a still very much spooked Vista), to demand answers for so generously providing a coverup, no matter how shoddy.

(Rakuyo can just imagine how the rumor mill is churning right now, now that everyone other than the night shift is crammed into the barracks and lights are out. But ah well, that's not his business, at least until he gets some answers himself.)

Which leads them to now, a Secret Meeting to reveal all.

Jozu heaves a massive sigh that jostles the other two Commanders taking up his bed, before getting up with a creak. It's very clear that Rakuyo especially is eager to start getting all the dirt or whatever this is about, and perhaps that really isn't something he wants to be a part of. Jozu doesn't much like being chased out of his own room, but he doesn't really like gossip anyway. Maybe it _would_ be better to step out, and not have to deal with the drama afterwards.

"Maybe I'll go take a walk..." Some fresh night air doesn't sound too bad.

"Yeah, we'll just be talking about Marco's upcoming wedding," Haruta chortles, even as he moves out of the way to let Jozu through.

Jozu freezes. Rakuyo makes a little _oooh_ sound.

Jozu sits back down, and Vista and Rakuyo grunt as the mattress sinks towards their brother's greater mass.

"Wait, since when was it a wedding?" Namur's eyes widen. "I only know about his proposal, not even a formal engagement yet..."

There must be several steps between "proposal" and "wedding," or so Namur thought. But perhaps he's just misunderstanding humans once again.

"Hush, don't move, you'll ruin your eyeliner," Izo scolds, and Namur wisely shuts up, because everyone knows how Izo feels about ruined eyeliner.

"Wait, wait, wait," Jozu starts, because he's just heard several things in rapid succession that he's failing to process. Jozu prides himself on fast thinking in battle, but it apparently doesn't apply outside of it, which is a problem because he's reeling. But then again, these types of cannonballs aren't shot into his face every day.

Jozu isn't given time, because Rakuyo's hooting like a madman, flailing arms smacking Vista, who has also gone frozen and wide-eyed, and Jozu's glad that at least he's not the only brother who feels lost.

"Alright, let's hear it! Who's the lucky boy?" Rakuyo leans as far forward towards Izo and Namur as he can without his ass leaving the bed.

"Get this," Izo leans in too, just as eager. "Marco's fiancee is a _girl_."

Jozu chokes, but it goes completely ignored, as does Vista's gasp and dainty hand to his heart, and Rakuyo expelling what seems to be all of the spit in his mouth, all in the face of Haruta bolting to his feet and shrieking " _WHAT?!_ " loud enough to probably be heard on the other side of the Moby.

"Izo..." Namur cringes, and looks distinctively miserable, an expression all the more exaggerated by the dramatic winged liner Izo's put around his eyes.

"It's too late, we're all here, might as well share with just our fellow Commanders no? It's a big occasion for our dearest first mate," Izo says, well over the initial guilt he felt. After all, it really _is_ a big occasion for their brother, _and_ the juiciest gossip they've had in their family in years, which most certainly means it must be relevant to their fellow Commanders!

Everyone else in the room makes silent eye contact at Izo and Namur's exchange, immediately understanding what had occurred: Izo had been sworn to secrecy, but had slipped.

Well, they all sympathize. They feel for their poor fishman brother, they've all been in his shoes before.

But they're also all currently in this room, and the secret's been spilled, so at this point...well, what happens in Jozu's room, stays in Jozu's room, no?

And so the story comes out, and multiple other bombs are dropped: that the girl's a mermaid, Marco's never even met her, and she's also _Ace's little brother_.

"Wow, didn't know he liked them that young, Ace's practically a baby himself," Rakuyo mutters, and gets a sharp jab in the ribs from Vista.

“A _mermaid_ ,” Vista breathes, stars in his eyes. “The phoenix with a _mermaid_ , that’s so romantic!”

“Isn’t it?” Namur looks eager for the first time since the meeting started, glad he’s found a kindred soul. “They’ll look so good together…”

Jozu's brain has finally caught up to the situation, but something's not adding up. He makes to raise his hand, but ends up loudly cracking his shoulder against the wall instead, which still does the job of catching his brothers' attentions.

"Wait, but I thought Ace said he couldn't join our crew because he promised to be pirates with his little brother...but if she gets married to Marco and _she_ joins our crew, then...?"

There's a moment of deep contemplative silence.

"Well, there's the chance that Ace doesn't know about his little brother's relationship with Marco," Izo says slowly. "He might not even know that they've been corresponding."

There's a collective wince as they imagine how Ace's reaction to that being revealed might go, if it indeed is a secret. The one thing they know about Ace's little brother is that Ace has a MASSIVE brother complex, and is very, Very protective. They suddenly don’t envy Thatch.

"Do you think Thatch knows?" Vista speaks up. "Is this why he went with Ace?"

"If he didn't know, he knows now, Marco sent the letter and engagement gem to him to deliver," Namur says hesitantly, finally willing to contribute information.

"So let's get this straight, Ace thought he was just going back to East Blue to start a new pirate crew, and Thatch was just tagging along to help, but Thatch was actually sent by Marco to escort his bride back to us? Without Ace knowing? Is that right?" Haruta's eyes are wide and he sounds extremely impressed. "That's so _evil_ of him, I didn't know he had it in him, holy shit!"

"We don't know that," Namur mumbles, but is ignored.

“Do you think Thatch’ll be best man at the wedding?” Vista wonders.

“That’s not fair!” Haruta hisses at the same time Izo shouts, “Favoritism!”

"Okay, okay, wait. So in that case, assuming Ace eventually calms down and supports the union, that means his little brother joins us, right? And if she joins, doesn't that mean Ace would join too? Since she was the only reason why he didn't join us, and he wants to be on the same crew as his brother..." Jozu can't let go of the possibility, now that it's there.

They'd all been terribly sad when Ace announced he was leaving. Their crew all understood why he had to go, a promise is a promise, and they'd still always be brothers but...the 2nd Division Commander seat had practically been waiting for him.

"There's always the chance that they mean to do long distance," Namur says then, glumly.

"That's so boring!" Izo says dismissively. "Marco should take what's his, we're pirates!"

Rakuyo cheers while Namur gasps with indignation, and everyone else sighs, except Vista who suddenly freezes.

"Marco wouldn't...leave us to join them, would he...?"

Well there's a thought.

"...We can't know what the bride thinks, but that we can ask Marco, probably," Jozu says uncertainly. Suddenly this whole "marriage" business is a lot more stressful than expected, because Jozu's not sure he likes the idea of suddenly losing their first mate, no matter how nice his future company is.

"It's not likely, probably, because they're just a baby crew, who already have our brothers as senior members," Haruta reasons. "Far more likely that they'll join us!"

"The 2nd'll be happy to have Ace and Deuce back," Vista nods, focusing on the positives, and the mood lightens considerably. "And we'll be able to have a wedding!"

“A wedding! I love weddings!” Rakuyo cheers. “Drinks all around!”

"Ace'll become our 2nd Division Commander after all," Namur says, and he looks so happy that Izo croons and pokes his cheek.

"Wait," Jozu says, and Izo groans _not again_. "This may be getting ahead of ourselves but...if Ace is 2nd Division Commander, that puts his room right next to Marco's...isn't that sorta awkward for the newlyweds?"

"Jozu!" Namur looks very scandalized, while Rakuyo and Haruta cackle.

"Maybe Ace'll burn a hole through the wall so they can't have any privacy," Haruta grins.

"That's _terrible_ ," Vista says, despite also beginning to smile.

This is nice, imagining what their family's future might be like. It'll no doubt be wild, but a positive change.

"But maybe being close to his brother would make Ace happier too, so maybe the 2nd Division would really be perfect," Izo says contemplatively.

"Question, would Ace's little brother be in the 1st or 2nd Division?" Namur wonders.

Bickering breaks out, but Rakuyo cuts through it. "She's Ace's brother, she might be Commander material herself, who says she'll be in one of their divisions?"

"Commander of Division 1.5," Namur says dreamily.

And oh, well, that wasn't what anyone else had in mind, but the more they think about it, the more it appeals.

"Perfectly in between her husband and brother, our future Commander of Division 1.5," Izo says it out loud, testing how it feels.

"I like it," Haruta shouts, and is echoed by his brothers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, any comments or kudos are immensely appreciated!! m(_ _)m


	6. Two doors down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meanwhile, two doors down from Jozu's room...

Marco has an awful headache, and it's been getting worse all day.

It's now night, but he wants to finish reviewing the last of the surveys he's collected from the 2nd Division before he can grant himself rest.

Even though Ace is officially no longer in the running for the position of 2nd Division Commander, his presence and Pops planning for him to be appointed had led to the decision that it's time to find a replacement for Oden's old seat anyway. And so they'd taken surveys from the current members, to see if anyone's interested, or would like to nominate one of their peers.

While many in the 2nd Division had been excited at the prospect of being under Ace's command (no doubt influenced in part by the former Spade pirates among them), they're also a unique division, used to being without the direct guidance of a Commander after so many decades without one. They report to Pops, and to Marco, but other than that have a culture of flexibility that few want to go out of their way to change. There were very few nominations from among them, most opting to voice hesitant hope in Ace returning, or suggesting they don't need a Commander after all.

The lone candidate that stands out is Marshall D. Teach. The man's been on the crew for around as long as most of the other Commanders, so age and experience-wise, he fits. He doesn't stand out in terms of leadership, but Marco knows he's strong in combat, and efficient at completing missions, if with a slightly worrying tendency towards unnecessary brutality. Only a couple of 2nd Division members mention him in their surveys, and it's mostly in reference to his seniority, not necessarily character.

Marco frowns. He doesn't strongly _dislike_ Teach per se, but he doesn't quite like him either. The man's always struck Marco as a little off, certainly not enough to chase him off the crew, but enough to leave Marco with an uneasy aftertaste after most of their interactions. Marco honestly doesn't know how he'd feel about him as a fellow Commander, sitting in at all of their meetings with access to confidential information about the entire crew.

Marco needs to gather his findings to report to Pops. But without a clear answer from the 2nd Division, he supposes this is a good time to consult in his fellow Commanders.

Which is terribly convenient, because a large number of them are gathered just a mere two doors down from Marco's room.

Marco wonders if they're trying to be subtle, because they're _not_. They always seem to hold secret meetings in Jozu's room. Jozu, who as the 3rd Division Commander, has his room located only two rooms away from Marco, the 1st Division Commander, with the 2nd Division Commander room between them lying empty. Most things that go on in Jozu's room can be heard in Marco's, and vice versa, but the other Commanders always seem to forget.

In this case, Marco doesn't quite make out exact words, but it's more because he doesn't care to try, because he knows from experience that he could if he wanted to. In fact, Marco's been doing his best to shut them out this entire night, but they're being so obnoxiously _loud_ , and he can hear Izo's piercing laughter and the unmistakable THUNKS of Jozu cracking his shoulder against the walls. Marco also thinks he hears his name a few times, which means they're probably gossiping about him. Which, of course, is all the more reason for him to not want to know, because goddamnit he's _tired_.

But unfortunately, even if he were to wear earplugs, Marco can't shut out his brothers entirely, because none of them are bothering to conceal their blazing Haki signatures. And why would they, while they’re at home on the Moby? But with all of the strongest members of the Whitebeard Pirates gathered in one condensed spot, and it's like this bright light in the corner of Marco's mind that won't go away. It normally wouldn't bother him, but right now it's an unnecessary distraction. Damn his sensitive Observation Haki. Marco hopes they're not keeping Pops up, because they're certainly not helping with his headache.

He honestly finds it a little unfair that his brothers are socializing while Marco's still working, but that's how it usually is, and Marco's used to being mature about it. He just hopes that whatever they're planning, it doesn't lead to a mess afterwards, or at least leads to one they can clean up by themselves.

The last time there was a "secret meeting," they managed to get a handful of Commanders in on a prank to shave hearts into Vista's chest hair while he was drunk. Marco had been informed of the ill-advised operation shortly before it was executed, master-minded by none other than Thatch. It lead to a pretty awful hangover squabble in the morning, which resulted in Izo losing a slice of hair to Vista's blades, flipping his shit as a result, and Namur having to fetch a handful of devil fruit users from the sea.

On the topic of Thatch, Marco wonders how he's doing, and whether the letter he sent his brother has safely reached its destination. Probably not yet, but in a few days; the blue gulls can be surprisingly fast, but they still need to cross the Calm Belt and then some. Marco hopes that Thatch's enjoying his time away, and almost feels bad for not actually sending him his hair wax as requested, but Marco thinks that perhaps a little makeover will do his friend some good. He's traveling with young people, might as well dress like one.

And that, Marco thinks regretfully, is something that only an old person would think, and old people need sleep. He slowly stands up, and grunts when his back pops. He really _is_ getting old, he feels like he's getting closer to Pops every day, and isn't that a frightening thought.

Luckily for Marco though, he has a little cheat, and Marco activates it by turning on his flames. The soft blue fire momentarily consumes his body, bringing not burning heat, but a pleasant tingle. When it fades, Marco's joints are no longer popping, and he feels marginally better, if not necessarily younger.

It'll do for now, to get him through this task, and then he can sleep for a few hours before making his morning rounds scouting around the ship.

And so he stands up, brings a notepad and writing utensil just in case the idiots two doors down actually have anything helpful to say, and leaves his room.

~~

"THE DRESS CAN'T BE PURE WHITE, YOU'RE BASIC," Izo's shrieking, when Marco opens the door.

Marco stares down, because Haruta's ass is blocking his feet.

There's an awkward silence.

"Haruta," Izo breathes. "You're shit at keeping watch."

"You're shit at keeping watch," Vista agrees.

"You're shit at keeping watch," Rakuyo nods.

"You're shit at keeping watch," Jozu sighs.

"You...could improve on keeping watch, a little," Namur concedes.

The last brother to speak is wearing dark eyeliner that Marco's never seen on him before. It's clearly Izo's work.

"It looks nice," Marco tells him, and Namur's blue skin flushes purple at the compliment.

"Of course it does," Izo snaps. "Marco, we're having a Secret Meeting that doesn't involve you. If you don't terribly mind..." He gestures with manicured nails back the way Marco'd come.

Marco sighs. "I don't care what you're talking about, and I'll leave in a second if you can keep it down, I can hear you from my room, yoi."

His statement's followed by curses all around and wide-eyed looks of horror. Marco shifts his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose as he sighs again.

So they really were talking about him, and by their reactions, were planning on playing a prank on him. Subtle.

(He wonders if they'll attempt to dye his hair green again ( _Just like a real pineapple!_ Thatch always insists with his trademark grin). It's almost a tradition at this point, attempted once every five years or so, and Marco tiredly notes that he's probably due another attempt. His brothers have yet to actually succeed, and Marco may be getting older but isn't about to let them get the best of him now. He'll need to be careful with what he washes himself with in the near future.)

Marco appreciates his brothers' playfulness at times, but also wishes they could sometimes act like the middle aged men they are, and not gleeful pre-teens.

"I just have a question, and then I'll leave," Marco says, deciding to ignore his brothers whispering frantically at each other because it's late and he doesn't want to waste energy scolding them. He just wants to get this business over with, his bed is calling. "Regarding the appointment of the 2nd Division Commander, the members of the division are undecided, and Teach is the only candidate who stands out. Before I mention him to Pops, if anyone wants to give their input--"

Marco's wholly unprepared for the shocked gasps of horror.

"What, no!"

"Why would you do that?"

"You can't!"

"That seat's reserved for A--"

Vista steps on Rakuyo's foot, like he does under the table sometimes when the Commander gets a bit too chatty. Except there's no table in front of Jozu's bed to conceal the movement, and Marco's eyebrows rise ever higher.

Marco didn't think the other Commanders would have such strong opinions regarding a division other than their own, especially now that Ace's out of the running. They certainly hadn’t cared before, when the topic had been brought up at a Commanders meeting. Their reactions mystify him, but no one bothers giving further elaboration and they all avoid Marco's questioning gaze.

"...Alright then, I won't mention Teach to Pops, and will inform him that the majority of 2nd Division prefers the Commander seat remain empty for now."

There's a collective sigh of relief, which is also mystifying, but a mystery for another day, Marco decides.

"A question for you, Marco," Izo says as Marco's turning to leave. "You're not...planning on leaving the crew any time soon, are you?"

Marco blinks. "Why would I do that?"

"Oh, oh good, just making sure," Izo nods, and everyone else mirrors him and they collectively all look like bobble head dolls, and Marco can’t find a single sliver of himself curious enough to care.

"You should feel more confident, they'll all be here with us soon," Namur says shyly, and kindly, and Marco feels like he ought to feel comforted if only he knew what for.

"Thanks, yoi? And good night. Try to keep it down," Marco says, before leaving the cramped room.

"We will!" his brothers chorus like school children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I sincerely appreciate any kudos or comments if you're enjoying this work on AO3 m(_ _)m Response determines whether I continue to post here!


	7. S stands for Sabo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabo, Koala thinks, can be such a sadistic little shit.
> 
> (Or, oh yeah, this AU was kinda supposed to be ASL-bros centric...)

_Hmm,_ Koala thinks. _So this probably counts as a "kabedon."_

A _kabedon_ , according to the young new recruits who'd explained it to her, is a situation in which one person, ideally tall and attractive, leans over a second, ideally smaller person, boxing them against a wall with their arms, essentially pinning them in place. Koala thinks it sounds like menacing posturing, but the recruits insisted that if done by the right person, it's a terribly titillating scenario, the kind you'd find in romance stories.

It happens to be the situation that Koala finds herself in now, with her back against the side of Merry's cabin as Sabo looms over her, effectively blocking all exits with his arms braced against the wall on either side of her.

Sabo, Koala grudgingly thinks, probably not only qualifies, but is likely the recruits' very _definition_ of tall and attractive.

Right now, he's doing that thing where his eyes are half-mast, dark and unreadable as they peer down at Koala through the curtain of blond locks that have fallen across his face. It's a look that Koala knows has half of Baltigo swooning, and she's heard people call it _Chief's Sexy Look_.

Koala feels very strongly that those are a poor choice of words, because from personal experience, she knows it's a look that's usually followed immediate, brutal interrogation that often ends in screams and excessive bloodshed.

"Koala," he breathes, in that voice that has stolen the hearts of half the Revolutionary Army, and has convinced more than one unfortunate soul that perhaps, they might survive this encounter after all.

But Koala knows better.

Because his next words are, surprise surprise, "What are you hiding from me about _my Luffy_?"

He smiles then, and it looks misleadingly gentle, and Koala can see why strangers may mistake him for a benevolent princely gentleman.

But Koala knows Sabo. And all she sees is the manic sadism behind the oh so very fake expression.

She cringes, because no, there is absolutely _nothing_ romantic or exciting about this situation at all. All she feels is Doom.

"Hmm?" she says, keeping her hands behind her back so he can't see them twist. In these situations, Koala's more than well aware that the more she talks, the more she incriminates herself.

Many who observe their partnership are under the impression that Sabo's just the overpowered guy who beats people up and destroys shit, while Koala provides intel. And while it's true that Koala has intel, Sabo's the one who often personally extracts it from their most stubborn sources.

In other words, what Sabo wants, he usually gets. It's usually a comforting thought, but not today.

"Hmm?" Sabo parrots back, eyes lazily tracing over her face, and Koala frantically tries to keep her expression neutral as he searches for an opening.

It's like when they were children, Koala thinks, when they played interrogation games with each other as assignments for Inazuma's class. Except this time, it's not Koala's grade on the line. And while Koala knows that her partner would never actually hurt her, he's also very capable of making life pretty miserable for her if she doesn't spill.

And right now, she has a secret she'd really, _really_ like to keep away from Sabo.

The secret being, y'know, the fact that someone proposed to his dearest baby brother.

And even though it's extremely unlikely that Luffy understands the significance behind the gesture, she considers the gift hers, which, for all points and purposes...means she accepted.

Koala does _not_ want Sabo to find out about this, from her, at least right now, before she has more information.

But, Koala glumly remembers, she's never actually managed to win any interrogation games against him.

"You know," he says, voice deceptively light, and Koala wants to groan because _here we go_. "Luffy and Ace mean the world to me. They're not just my past, they make me who I am. Even when I didn't remember, they were with me, and I was with them. They're _everything_ to me."

Koala won't break. She tries to look for an opening without shifting her eyes, but Sabo's not an amateur and there are no escape routes.

"It would truly be terrible, if something happened to one of them, something that should be stopped, that I could have prevented if only I had known."

He's poking her defenses. He wants her to say, _you're blowing this out of proportion, it's not that big a deal_ , or maybe _you're overthinking this_. Possibly even lie, _I'm not hiding anything_ , or even counter, _what makes you think I'm hiding something_?

Koala knows better. Those are all traps, all openings that he'd pounce on, and she's seen him rip people apart for falling for them. Koala won't give him the chance.

He leans in close, and whispers in her ear, voice low and dark in a way that would make his fans cry, and his enemies cry too but for an entirely different reason. "You wouldn't know something that'd prevent me from fulfilling my duties as Luffy's older brother, now would you, Koala?"

_Well_ , Koala thinks snidely, _depends on what you consider your brotherly duties, and whether they include homicide and starting a war with an Emperor_.

She says, "Mmm."

Sabo, or rather his mouth, smiles. His eyes are a void. Koala's not used to be on the receiving end of this particular stare, and she isn't enjoying a moment of it.

"Alright. If that's how you want to be. Let's figure this out together, now shall we?"

Sabo's voice is calm, exaggeratedly patient, like a therapist. He never talks to Koala like this, but Koala still recognizes this particular tone, and cringes as she realizes which interrogation pattern he's chosen. It's one she's ill equipped to counter at the moment, and he no doubt knows it.

Koala braces herself. _Blank face_ , she tells herself, _even breathing_. _He's using his stupid over-powered Observation Haki to keep track of your pulse._

"Well," he begins, "I know it's already about Luffy, because you're more nervous about me talking about her than Ace." It's stated as fact, and Koala blinks rapidly to moisten her eyes because she knows the real deal's starting now, and she'll have to avoid blinking when it might give her away.

"And it must be something you found out during your Fishman Karate sessions, because you don't have any other time together, at least when I'm not watching."

Koala isn't remotely surprised that he's monitoring everyone; after all, she's been doing the same. She wants to sigh but keeps it in.

"It's probably something physical, because Lu can't keep secrets if she thinks of them as secrets, so it might have been something you saw...a scar, or a mark on her body? No? Then an object she has on her...Ah, there we go."

_Fuck you, I didn't give you any tells_ , Koala thinks indignantly, but she knows that expressing any annoyance will only confirm his guesses, and continues to refuse to speak.

"You've been going to the kitchen more often than usual, but not during meal times, or even prep times, but rather lulls...times that you have no business in the kitchen, and times where only cooks are present, cleaning up or otherwise doing tasks that don't require their full attention...the perfect time to chat."

_Maybe I wanted a snack_ , Koala thinks, but keeps her mouth shut, because Sabo already knows when and how she snacks. This interrogation really isn't fair.

"And as for the cooks in question...well, if it were Sanji, I'd just ask him myself, but you knew I wouldn't do that, right, Koala? You know I could get it out of him, so if it was him, he wouldn't know anything of value. But I don't think he's involved at all."

Sabo looks at Koala expectantly. Koala stares right back at him, though her eyes feel very, very dry.

"So the question now is, why would my dearest partner want to protect Thatch, Fourth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates and temporary first cook of the ASL Pirates?" Sabo talks as though he's asking himself, but he isn't, and Koala's not fooled. She keeps her face blank. "I doubt it's a personal thing, after all, his intentions towards Luffy couldn't be more obvious, he announces it at least once a day. And given my partner's obvious little lesbian crush, it doesn't seem in her best interests to help him, no?"

This does get a reaction from Koala, and her breath leaves her in a whoosh. _Fine_ , make it personal. If he's figured out this much, it's only a few more steps till the answer, and at this point what does it matter. Koala glares, relishing freeing her face from its mask, and for a moment Sabo's back to his usual self, giving her a cheeky wink as though to say _told you so_. But then Interrogator!Sabo is back, because he's not quite done yet.

_Whatever_. She tried, alright. It's not like she owes the Phoenix anything. She leans back against the wall, bringing her arms in front of her chest, and scowls, hoping her expression projects exactly what she thinks of Interrogator!Sabo at the moment. Sabo likewise drops his arms, because he knows she's no longer going to escape.

"You're not protecting Thatch himself, because if you were we could solve it here, and it never needs to get out of hand. So you're protecting someone connected to him. The fact that you're being so stubborn, tells me that it's not just a personal thing, but something that could cause an incident, that would likely affect the Army. Which means, obviously, a Whitebeard pirate.

"But I don't think it's just any Whitebeard pirate. They're someone high profile enough that it would be a big deal if I were to confront them, possibly jeopardizing any potential future alliances the Army forms with them, or drawing the eyes of the World Government. Which, they're already watching us, which makes me think it's gotta be someone even bigger than Thatch..."

Which, of course doesn't leave much.

"It could very well be old man Whitebeard himself," Sabo says, but he's shaking his head. "But something tells me it's not. And I know that some _very_ interesting little blue birds have been stopping by the Merry, likely with letters for Thatch, but possibly also with unsolicited deliveries for my baby brother..."

_Your baby brother, chill with your possessiveness, does rubbing it in feel_ that _good_? Koala sniffs.

"And as for why it's a big deal...you wouldn't be so secretive over a crush. Everyone on the crew has a crush. That can be dealt with. This is a few steps beyond, something you think would make me _mad_ , right, Koala?"

Sabo pauses a moment, but it's for dramatic effect, because Sabo knows that Koala knows that he already has an answer.

"So tell me, Koala. What did Marco the Phoenix give Luffy to try to claim her as his bride?"

_And well, there you have it._

"Bravo," Koala says dryly. "I see you're qualified for your position, Chief. I'll be sure to inform the Boss."

Sabo tips his hat, and even though she allows herself to relax, Koala keeps her eyes trained on her partner.

He's taking this calmer than she expected, to be honest. Interrogator!Sabo still hasn't fully faded from his face, but he's no longer giving off sadistic vibes, and has that little frown that tells Koala he's still sorting through his thoughts. His ability to remain composed is likely affected by the fact that they're still in Paradise, and the Whitebeard Pirates and the New World are still quite a ways away.

Which is good, because it means Sabo can't just impulsively cause a massive incident on the spot. But it's also bad, because it means he's got more time to plot, and Sabo can come up with some pretty devastating things if given the opportunity.

"Sabo, I barely know anything myself, and neither does Thatch," Koala says, finally willing to speak. "I'm working on getting more information. Don't plan anything rash yet. It could all be a misunderstanding."

Sabo slowly nods, still quiet. Koala sighs.

This might be a good time to bring up a certain topic, she realizes. She'd been thinking about it for a while now, but had wanted to give him more time.

She first thought about it when the night after he regained his memories, she sees Sabo slip away from the Merry to pursue the ship that's transporting the slavers who tried to sell Luffy at the auction house. The slavers had already been passed in the hands of Army agents, all of the enslaved had been freed and were on their way to safety, and Luffy was back with her crew. Their job should have been over.

Sabo comes back before dawn, accompanied by Ace who had likely transported him with Striker. He seems calmer than the night before, but Koala doesn't miss that his gloves are still damp from recently being washed.

There've been other incidents too, in the short period they've traveled together. Koala's seen Sabo dangerously close to snapping (and actually snapping) more during the past few weeks than their entire decade together. And on one hand, it's understandable, but on the other...

"You know," Koala begins, as gently as possible, "she's no longer the child you left behind. She's an adult. Even if this ends up being nothing, she may still find someone, one day. What are you going to do then?"

If Luffy's in physical danger, protecting her is one thing. But what if it's something that she chooses?

The change is subtle, but Koala notices when the last of the Chief of Staff fades from Sabo, as his head tilts downward ever so slightly. And all of a sudden he reminds Koala all too much of the tiny, battered child who stared at himself in the mirror when he thought everyone was asleep, touching his scars and asking, _Who are you?_

"I can't lose her, I can't lose either of them," Sabo says quietly, and he overlaps completely with the lost child, and _ah_ , Koala thinks, because she gets it.

That child, that _self_ who was missing for so long, is back now, inside Sabo where he always belonged, where he always _existed_ but couldn't be recognized. That child now takes up so much space, _too_ much space, and still hasn't been fully reconciled with the adult that Sabo's grown up to be. Simpler, childish emotions and desires that feel too vibrant and raw, clashing with the adult's more weathered world view, aggravated further by all the darkness that Sabo's seen in their line of work.

Sabo's less concerned about Ace, Koala knows, because even though Sabo loves both his brothers, Ace is like his other half. They protect each other also, but more than that, function seamlessly as a single unit, a unit with one priority that stands above all else.

Luffy.

Luffy, who as a child, Sabo was able to protect from anything and everything in their isolated microcosm. Luffy, who as an adult, Sabo knows all too well is more vulnerable than ever, as proven by the very situation in which they reunited.

_A gilded glass tank, hidden away behind dusty curtains, with a dark, motionless shape crumpled at the bottom. Chains, chains, and chains upon bruised skin, and bubbles rising from parted lips, getting smaller and smaller as she slowly fades..._

That was bad enough, but Koala doubts Ace or any of the others know exactly what the fate of a captured mermaid is, at least in the way that Koala and Sabo do.

Koala understands, she really does.

But she also knows the importance of freedom, not just to Sabo, but likely to Luffy and Ace as well.

"Would it be losing her?" she asks, and Sabo, and the mirage of his child self, flinches.

"We vowed to be free," Sabo says, and he still sounds lost, like he doesn't know what the word means anymore. "And we _will_ be." His hat shadows his eyes, and Koala can't imagine how they look at that moment. "But I don't want her to go where I can't follow."

"Then follow," Koala says, because what else is there to say? "Follow, if that's _your_ freedom. But you can't stop hers."

"I know."

She couldn't have known how Sabo would take her words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone who's been commenting!!!! I appreciate your thoughts so much, and it means so very much to me to know that people actually like this AU ;A;


	8. On the Merry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thatch has Thoughts on Marco, on his current temporary crew, and on Ace.
> 
> Sabo is sort of a menace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (AceLu, start!)

_What are her 3 sizes?_

_(For the wedding dress, of course.)_

"The _fuck!_ Like I'd tell you!" Thatch roars, startling the blue gull into momentarily leaping off the rail, before it circles back, landing again to peck at his sleeve to express its displeasure. Thatch ignores it, because he's _fuming_.

So apparently all of his and Koala's secret debates over whether Marco intentionally proposed or not were for naught, because here's the fucking evidence. And it comes from _Izo_ of all people, because Thatch would recognize that lopsided handwriting anywhere (the man insists that his handwriting is beautiful in his native language of Wano, but he never quite got used to writing any other way).

And well, if Izo, an unrelated third party but professional snooper knows, then Marco himself _must_ know.

And apparently, they're already planning a wedding.

Thatch feels like an idiot. He'd been defending Marco against Koala, and the lil Revolutionary was a _tough_ opponent, one he'd had to chase out of the kitchen with a ladle more than once when he was tired of her word games. Thatch had insisted, like a fool, that no Marco's not that kind of guy, he really isn't the type to play with people's emotions, he would never _propose_ for a joke, nor would he do it seriously without good reason. It _must_ all be an accident, a little misunderstanding, Marco was just ignorant like Thatch himself was!

Except, apparently he _did_ know and it _wasn't_ an accident, and now Thatch feels completely lost because he doesn't know what Marco's thinking _at all_. Marco, who's not just his his first friend on the Moby, but arguably his _best_ friend; Marco, his brother over several decades; Marco, who Thatch thought he knew better than anyone, except perhaps Pops himself...

Thatch's also pissed, because if Marco wants to start drama after they all reunite and he's introduced to Luffy, that's one thing (not that that would be great either). But right now, they're still near the beginning of Paradise with almost half the circumference of the world to go until even the halfway point, and Marco is WAY on the other side of the Red Line. If this ship explodes in flames or whatever that batshit Revolutionary brother might do, Mister First Division Commander is completely unaffected, but there are plenty of innocents here (like _hello!_ Thatch!) who would find that pretty devastating.

Also, Thatch was the one who passed on that gift to Luffy! Even if he didn't know what it meant at the time...doesn't that make Thatch complicit? And even if not, Marco's strongest connection here is clearly Thatch. If Marco's actions cause chaos, then the blame and responsibility to clean up the mess naturally falls upon Thatch. Which, he definitely did not sign up for.

_Pops_ , Thatch thinks miserably, _I thought I was supposed to show them they can depend on us Whitebeards, NOT that us Whitebeards will fuck shit up for them..._

But more than anything, there's a shocking large part of Thatch that absolutely _balks_ at just the idea of _Luffy getting married_. And it's shocking because Thatch _shouldn't feel this upset._

Marco, for all the complaints Thatch wants to hurl at him at the moment, is still a really great guy. A guy who, in literally any other situation, Thatch would be the first in line to enthusiastically encourage, and also to congratulate.

And sure, Thatch knows he has a crush, and his little Seastar's carving out a larger home for herself in his heart by the day, but--Thatch admittedly has crushes a lot. Sure, this one feels different, but...Marco, to his knowledge, has _never_ had a romantic crush. He only sometimes but very rarely even has a night out, and Thatch doesn't think he's ever held a relationship longer than three encounters. He's always so serious, so diligent, so sincerely and whole-heartedly dedicated to Pops and his family. He almost never does anything selfish for himself, and Thatch would know.

If, for whatever reason, Marco is genuinely _serious_ about Luffy...then Thatch should, and _would_ , step to the side, regardless of personal feelings. If this is the path Marco wants, then he deserves it, and Thatch will always be the first to say it, no matter how craptastic the circumstances. And Thatch knows that Marco would give his bride the _world_.

Without them even having met, Thatch doesn't doubt for a second that Marco would make Luffy happy, till the end of her days.

The fact that Thatch knows all this, yet still feels near _unbearable_ reluctance...says more than he's willing to admit.

And so he decides to avoid thinking about the most obvious reason ( _his own feelings_ ), and instead contemplates his second very compelling reason for feeling reluctant to embrace his supportive BFF duties: Ace.

His littlest brother isn't so great at being honest with himself, and never has. But this, Thatch feels, isn't just a matter of denial.

The boy literally has no clue.

Oh sure, Ace knows he loves his little brother. He makes sure everyone else knows it too, both here on the Merry and back on the Moby once he opened up enough to talk to people. He's so damn proud of her, yet also concerned for her, while also trusting her with his life and more. It's clear to anyone who sees them together that he absolutely _adores_ her.

But it's more than that, isn't it, Thatch thinks. It's in the little gestures, the way Ace raises his arm up without looking at her and she slides under it, also without needing to look at him. It's the casual way they lace their fingers together, like it's nothing, when they're snoozing out on the deck. It's the way sometimes they have unspoken conversations, just staring into each others eyes, before moving forward in synch to meet in the middle to bump their foreheads together in some secret mutual understanding.

It's the reason why Sanji, for all his extravagant flirting, knows when to shut up and return to being a normal human (and, Thatch grudgingly admits, this applies to himself too). It's why Zoro never lets his gaze linger more than two seconds longer than it needs to (but he'll always take those two seconds), why Nami always looks like she wants to sit closer but doesn't, why Koala hasn't said anything when she's probably usually a much more proactive flirter.

_Everyone_ on their crew can see it, except the two in question.

_Ace_ , Thatch thinks, heaving a huge sigh as he looks down at the crumpled note from Izo in his palm. _Little brother, you are so fucking in love_.

It might not necessarily be romantically. It's certainly not particularly sexually, if Ace's lack of reaction to Lu's aggressive physical smothering is any indication. It could very possibly be platonically.

But either way, there's no room for Sanji, nor Zoro, nor the girls, nor even Thatch himself...at least, until those two figure that out.

Until then, everyone aboard the Merry is here because they love and respect their captains. No one would dare encroach on something so special, yet so potentially immature, not yet ready to be dragged out to be recognized.

Thatch knows Ace has known Luffy for years, he practically raised her. But he was also away at sea for three years. Luffy was a child when he left; she's an adult now.

Thatch once asked him if she had changed at all since he last saw her (Ace most certainly had, according to Deuce). And Ace looked blank, then horribly confused, before saying _No...but also, yeah, I guess_. Thatch understands; Ace isn't used to not knowing something about Luffy. And something...something had changed.

That something might very well be the thing that needs to be figured out. And for that, Ace hasn't had much time yet, since reuniting with Luffy. Only as much time as the rest of them, in fact. And they deserve time to figure that out, and as the two captains' loving crew, the ASL pirates have an unsaid agreement to watch over them...at least until they have.

( _After that,_ Thatch thinks grimly, _it might be open game._ )

But of course, there's also the question of Luffy herself, and as much as she's the heart of the ASL Pirates, she's also an enigma. Thatch, for all that he adores her and honestly wants more with her, genuinely has a hard time imagining her as anything but clueless as someone's romantic partner (he's carefully not thinking about anything sexual). It very well may be that the whole "figuring out" that she and Ace have to do...ends up being nothing. And that's fine as well.

Either way, as much as Thatch loves him, there's no way that _any_ of them here on board the Merry will stand to let Marco shatter this delicate...whatever it is that's going on between their captains, that the rest of them are so patiently respecting. Even if it ends up continuing indefinitely.

As strained as it can feel at times, they're comfortable like this. There's the little spark of joy when Seastar gives him a little extra attention, a little burn when Sanji kisses her hand, but comfort in the stability that no one will go any further. If anything it's a nice little spice to their daily lives, just the right amount, and not enough ruin the dish so to speak. This is fine.

Except, that there's just one _teeny_ little problem...

"What did the blue gull bring you today, Commander?"

Thatch doesn't jump, because he's not an amateur and _did_ realize that the Revolutionary was approaching, but perhaps later than he should have. Damn the kid's good at hiding his presence, and Thatch wonders if he'd have noticed at all if Sabo was being serious.

"Just a stupid request from a stupid brother," Thatch says cheerfully as he turns around to face Sabo. The boy isn't even trying to hide his curiosity, his gaze pinned to Thatch's hand.

Thatch contemplates chucking the letter into the sea, but then he realizes he isn't sure Sabo wouldn't just dive after it, and as a devil fruit user, Thatch wouldn't be able to stop him from reading it underwater.

So he casually uncurls his fingers, watches Sabo visibly perk up--before Thatch opens a black hole in his palm, letting the crumpled paper get sucked into the void.

(Perhaps he should be using his power as more than a secure second dimension pocket expansion, but hey, so far it hasn't been so helpful in the kitchen.)

Sabo sags and sulks, rather cutely, Thatch thinks. "You coulda let me see it," he pouts, looking up at Thatch with an expression uncannily like Luffy's. _Fuck._

"Collecting intel, Chief?" Thatch winks, expertly hiding his horror that for a moment, he'd actually been tempted. Little sneak.

"Perhaps." Something slightly manic enters his gaze, and alright, that's nothing like Seastar, not so cute after all...

"Nice try, but it's a personal family thing, can't really share," Thatch says, and it's not really a lie.

Sabo grunts, letting it go, before his gaze flicks to the gull, who still has a beakful of Thatch's sleeve. "It waiting for something?"\

Thatch sighs. "Yeah, yeah, my response, which I should probably give..." Because, right, Thatch needs to send a message back to the Moby, even if _no_ , he isn't going to answer Izo's idiotic question.

Which, is actually a fine excuse to extract himself from this situation.

"So, sorry, the response also is personal, hope you don't mind," Thatch nods, and Sabo easily opens the way for him--which, Thatch belatedly realizes, he'd actually been blocking. _Scary, little Chief, scary..._

"Sorry, didn't mean to pry." Sabo sounds genuinely apologetic, and tips his hat at Thatch as he passes by, and Thatch inwardly heaves a massive sigh of relief. "I'm working on it, but I know I can get a little...pushy, when it comes to things that involve my baby brother."

Thatch continues to walk away.

But inside...

_Oh. Yikes,_ he thinks.

~~

Thatch is in the privacy of the currently empty men's sleeping room beneath the deck, and has just finished writing and giving instructions and bribes to the gull when the hatch creaks open.

"Thatch, we're in trouble," Koala announces as she stomps down the stairs, making her sneaky opening of the door rather pointless.

"I noticed," Thatch says dryly.

Koala pales. "He didn't break any of your toes, did he?!"

" _What_."

"Well, you're a cook, you make food Luffy likes with your hands," Koala shrugs. "Just wanted to make sure."

"What the _fuck_."

"I don't think he will! You're Luffy and Ace's crew, and you're a _Whitebeard pirate_ , but..."

Thatch groans. "I already thought your Chief might be trouble, but holy shit I didn't know he was _that_ batshit."

"He might not be!" Koala sounds defensive, but it's not particularly comforting. "He's usually reasonable, kind of, but since his memories came back..."

Thatch throws up his arms. "So, how'd he get it out of you?"

Koala flushes. "I didn't say anything!"

"Sure."

"It's not my fault that Sabo's a damn--!"

There's a loud knock, before the hatch flings open, and Ace pops his head in. "Hey Thatch! What's for snack--"

" _NOT AGAIN!_ " Koala cries.

At the same time, Thatch shouts, " _IN A SECOND!_ "

Either way, the hatch slams shut with a, " _SORRY!_ "

Thatch and Koala stare at each other with their hearts beating uncomfortably rapidly.

They slowly heave a slow sigh of relief as the tension drains.

"I really need to apologize to Ace," Thatch mutters.

"I really need to work on my Observation Haki," Koala groans.

" _HEY THATCH, I WANT A SNACK_ ," Luffy shouts, and Thatch and Koala's heads whip around in horror, only to sag with relief at seeing that Luffy's not in the room, but only for a second--

\--because after that second, a mermaid's crashing through the hatch, ripping it from its hinges as she slams, hatch and all, into Thatch's chest.

The room fills with dust and debris, and there are shouts outside.

Koala gingerly peers into the wreckage where Thatch is now buried in the wall, a terrified blue gull perched on her shoulders peering alongside her, its claws digging through the fabric of her shirt.

"We're fine," Thatch coughs, peering down to make sure he'd successfully caught and shielded Luffy from damage, even as he peels himself from the wood. Luffy seems unharmed, though her eyes are wide; she clearly hadn't expected to do quite this much.

"...Armament?" Koala asks, noticing how the back of Thatch's hair is black from where it's fanned around him.

"Armament," Thatch agrees, keeping the entire back of his body coated until he's safely pulled himself and Luffy, still in his arms, away from any sharp wood.

"Sorry, Thatch," Luffy says, not particularly apologetic, if anything sort of curious. She peels herself back from his chest, scritching her cheek while looking down at what was once the hatch to the mens room that had shattered between them. She then reaches back to tug at Thatch's black locks, and _oohs_ when they fade back to auburn.

"No worries, just make sure to make it up to Deuce and Usopp when they have to fix this," Thatch sighs, before grinning, letting his arms fall away from Luffy once he knows she has a secure grip on his shoulders. He then begins carding his fingers through her hair to make sure no splinters got in, and likewise dusting off the front of her vest, taking care not to let his touch linger. Luffy nods frantic agreement, more like rubs her head into his palm, and Thatch feels his heart skip a beat.

Koala sighs.

"Hey Thatch, what's this?"

Thatch blinks, then inwardly curses.

Luffy's holding Izo's crumpled piece of paper. His control of his power's still shoddy, and it must have accidentally spat it back out in the commotion.

_Please, don't be able to read that,_ he prays. He luckily doesn't have much confidence in Luffy's reading abilities.

"It says 'what are her three sizes.' What are those?"

In the background, Koala slowly raises her fist.

~~

A few days later, Marco's scouting when a blue gull rapidly approaches him.

_Delivery!_ it squawks. _Delivery for you, Boss, and don't show Izo! Don't show Izo! Don't show Izo or the bread man will be mad!_

_Thank you, noted, friend,_ Marco responds, and catches the note from Thatch in mid air.

The gull trills acknowledgement, then wheels away to rejoin its brethren, while Marco changes course for the nearest island, a safe forest haven in Pops's territory, still a ways away from the Moby. It's uninhabited, save for the wildlife, and it would be good to land once before returning home anyway.

Marco lands lightly on the tallest and oldest tree on the island, from where he can survey the island of pure greenery, and the endless blue stretching beyond. The branch he's chosen looks deceptively thin, but he already knows it can support his human weight, which is why he shifts, passing the note from his claw to his hand before completing his transformation.

Marco frowns. The other Commanders (and to be honest, the entire crew) have been acting a bit strange recently, but for Thatch, who isn't even on board with them, to also be in on it...

True, this may or may not be related to that at all. But still.

Marco feels like he's missing something.

_Marco_ , Thatch's message starts, and Marco already knows it's going to be serious because it didn't start with a jibe at his appearance.

_Marco, I think I'm actually serious about her. Thoughts, brother?_

_Her_ , meaning the Ace's little brother, the mermaid girl.

If Marco remembers correctly, in Thatch's first note back to him, he'd written, _She's stolen my heart, I think I want to marry her._

Marco had assumed Thatch was joking at the time, or just light-heartedly flirting, as he always did. Marco's used to hearing Thatch spew these kinds of words, and he'd taken it to mean that the girl's exceptionally Thatch's type, but hadn't thought further.

The words _had_ made him remember a little trinket he'd had stored in a chest at the back of his closet, one he'd received from an elderly couple on Fishman Island around two decades ago...

But that's not important now, Marco thinks, focussing on Thatch's message.

In all his years of flings and casual relationships and jokingly asking ladies (and some gents) _Won't you marry me_...Thatch has not once asked for Marco's opinion. He's certainly had plenty of opinions himself about whether someone would be a potential good match for Marco, which Marco always ignored. But Thatch has _never_ asked Marco about matches for himself.

Thatch really is serious.

Marco finds himself slowly smiling. "Finally, you sap," he murmurs, though no one hears him but the other birds in the trees around him.

He knows he ought to think more about what to say, but the answer is so obvious that Marco takes Thatch's note, and carefully tears the paper so that his brother's words aren't damaged. Gently tucking Thatch's note into his pocket, Marco pulls out a pen for the remaining small blank strip of paper.

Shortly afterwards, two birds depart from the island, in opposite directions: one, a phoenix, wings burning cyan against the clear skies, and the other, a blue gull headed to Paradise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! This is the last chapter that's currently public, and starting next week, I'll start posting new chapters that haven't been shared on Tumblr yet.
> 
> If you enjoyed this chapter or are liking this AU as a whole, it'd mean the world to me if you could drop a kudos or a comment ;_; I've been feeling a lil (a LOT lol) out of fuel for this AU, and have been struggling to get out new content... ;_;


	9. Poking the sleeping dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabo and Ace have a talk, and then Sabo pokes the sleeping dragon, so to speak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first part I'm posting here without posting on Tumblr in advance! This is just easier for me ^ ^;
> 
> ALSO WARNING: This chapter starts the actual ASL Bros Shippy stuff. Contains EXPLICITLY SHIPPY Sabo x Luffy, as well as pre-Ace x Luffy. These ships are core to this AU, and if they're not your thing, well, you've been warned ^ ^;

"Hey Ace, how have you been getting rid of Luffy's suitors?"

Ace slowly raises his head, and his eyes are still slits as he squints blearily in the direction of Sabo's voice. Sabo smiles fondly, and takes pity on his brother, sliding his glove off so he can run his fingers through Ace's hair. Ace follows the touch to finally notice that Sabo's right beside him.

Ace's cheeks tint with pink when he finally processes what Sabo's doing, but he doesn't shake off his brother's hand, like Sabo knows he would with anyone else. Sabo feels a deep thrum of undiluted happiness at knowing he still has this with Ace, this intimacy, this connection that's just for Them, and that feeling slowly changes into an ache.

_This is ours_ , Sabo thinks, while gently swirling a lock of Ace's glossy black hair. _They're mine_.

They're on the roof of the cabin of the Merry, and Ace'd been taking his usual mid-day nap. Luffy's curled on top of him, still fast asleep as she rises and falls in time with Ace's breathing. Her tail gleams in the sun, the light reflecting off of it so bright that Sabo's sure it shines like a beacon to other ships. According to Ace, this is is the glossiest and brightest her tail's ever been, likely a direct result of Thatch taking charge of her diet and adding in more seafood and other nutrients that are healthy for merfolk, that had previously been lacking in Luffy's diet back on Dawn Island.

Luffy looks content, Sabo thinks, sliding his hand out of Ace's hair to massage Luffy's scalp next. She doesn't wake, only shifting slightly to change the angle of her cheek squishing into Ace's collarbone. She looks happy, out at sea, on the deck of this ship and surrounded by nothing but sparkling waves and salty wind and the crying of gulls. While their childhood memories are precious to Sabo, he also knows that Luffy was very literally a fish out of water in the forests of Mount Corvo. They made do, and Ace clearly was amazing at taking care of her after Sabo left, but...she belongs out here.

Even if being out here means that more people will see her, and be drawn to her.

Sabo knows he's being selfish. He's very capable of self-reflection, and he's more than well aware of the insecurity at the root of his possessiveness. He knows that his brothers are capable of taking care of themselves, have for _ten years_ with Sabo out of their lives, and he knows that he can't stifle them or their choices on how to live. It would go against everything they stand for, and what Sabo himself stands for.

He still stubbornly refuses to let them go without a fight, and he feels the familiar detached, rational part of himself that he's lived with his entire life standing to the side and observing, analyzing this new volatile, emotional part of himself that he knows has always been his, just cut away.

Koala's right, Sabo knows. His partner can put into words what Sabo himself can't say out loud. He can't and won't interfere with Luffy's freedom...but it's now up to him to redefine his own freedom, so that they can coincide. At least, enough that he doesn't feel he's being torn apart.

Ace grunts, slowly raising one arm to put it behind his head so he can look at Sabo better, his other arm naturally wrapping around Luffy's shoulders to prevent her from sliding as he shifts. Luffy doesn't stir.

"You say something?" Ace asks, and his voice is still a little raspy from sleep. He's looking more alert by the second though, because Sabo timed this chat for when Ace's nap time ends. Deuce insists that Ace take regularly scheduled naps to help with his narcolepsy, bemoaning how his captain always forgets and then ends up falling asleep at less than ideal moments. But finally, the first mate managed to successfully incorporate naps into their schedule by letting Luffy in on it. While usually pretty forgetful herself, Luffy loves the excuse to cuddle with Ace, and now demands "nap time" after lunch without fail. And of course, Ace isn't one to turn down their baby brother's very agreeable request.

"Suitors," Sabo repeats, watching as Ace frowns a bit at the word. "How have you been getting rid of people who want to marry Luffy?"

Ace's frown deepens, but it's more a frown of confusion than anger. Interesting. "You mean like...kidnappers? I don't think they want to marry her..." A dark look crosses his face.

"In most cases, probably not," Sabo agrees, but then has a sudden realization. "Ace...has Luffy never had suitors before?"

Ace shifts again, arm subconsciously pressing Luffy closer as though to protect her from the topic of their conversation. "Suitors..." Ace looks uncomfortable with the word, rolling it around as though it's something new and bitter and not at all to his tastes. "Well, Luffy just looked like a merbrat three years ago, so everyone going after her thought she was a male mer kid. Not really a target for, y'know, marriage."

Ace blanches a bit after saying the last word, _marriage_ , clearly not used to seeing it paired with _Luffy_ , and just as clearly not too happy about that combo. Sabo feels for him.

"Why are you even bringing this up?" Ace glares accusingly at Sabo, but there's no heat, still mostly confusion.

"Hmm..." Sabo takes a moment to choose his words, wondering what to share with Ace and how--

"Spit it out, just tell me," Ace grunts, and Sabo laughs, because of course Ace would know what he was thinking. It delights him.

"Fine. Someone might be interested in marrying Luffy," Sabo begins, deciding it doesn't hurt to be ambiguous at first.

The wrinkles deepen between Ace's brows. "You mean like...Thatch, or Sanji? They say it all the time, doesn't mean it's going to happen."

Sabo hums. "It's not them, at least right now. But the case in question...they might have taken a few more concrete steps, beyond just saying they want to."

"You mean like, they proposed to her or something?"

Sabo's honestly impressed Ace even knows about proposals. "Or something," he agrees.

Ace leans back, staring up at the sky. Luffy snuffles, a snot bubble popping against Ace's collar bone.

"It won't happen," Ace says, oddly calm and stating it as fact. "Lu doesn't get that stuff."

"What if it doesn't matter that she doesn't get it?"

"What the _hell_ is that supposed to even mean?"

What indeed. That's what Sabo wants to know. "I'm not sure. But I'm trying to find out more."

"No one's marrying Luffy." Ace insists. "Least of all without her permission. _She_ wouldn't allow it." He laughs here, and Sabo wishes he could share Ace's confidence.

"But what if Luffy wants it?"

Ace looks incredulous. "Sabo, I doubt Luffy even knows what marriage _is_." He pauses a moment. "At least, I don't think she does..."

Ace's voice fades into an uneasy silence, no doubt contemplating all the ways in which their youngest may have changed during his three years out at sea. A lot can change in three years, after all.

"Even if she doesn't know now, she can learn, Ace. She's learning more stuff every day. What if she decides she wants it?"

"...What about it? If that's what she wants, then that's that, isn't it?" Even though Sabo knows Ace means it, his words don't flow as smoothly as they should, and Ace seems to know it too.

Luffy suddenly shifts, giving a little sneeze before rolling so she faces the other way, towards Sabo. The movement makes her tail flick lazily along Sabo's leg. Both older brothers are frozen, at least until Luffy's breathing even outs again.

Sabo reaches down, running his hand along Luffy's scales and marveling at how smooth and soft they are. They're warm, but still feel distinctively different from human skin, but not foreign to him. Ace tracks the movement of Sabo's hand.

"Are you really alright with that? If Luffy wants to get married, you'll let her go?" Sabo asks softly, and it feels right, voicing his own inner doubts to Ace. Ace, who is Sabo's other half, his _better_ half.

"I don't get what you're asking," Ace says, though his voice says that he _is_ starting to get it. "That's not my decision."

"No, it's not, it's neither of ours," Sabo agrees, and just like with Ace, the words feel forced. "It's not, but we don't have to like it, nor do we have to say silent about it."

Ace looks torn, but also unsure what he's even torn about. Maybe this is too much for one conversation, Sabo thinks, when Ace hadn't even thought about the possibility of Luffy getting married before.

He decides to change his angle.

"Have you ever thought about getting married?" Sabo asks.

" _Me?_ " Ace's eyes widen, and they flick up to Sabo to see if he's joking. "Why would _I_ ever want to do that to anyone?"

Sabo bites his lip sharply, tasting blood. Because of course Ace would think that. Ace has grown and changed so much but--of course this part of him isn't so easy to overcome.

Sabo aches, aches for his brother who not only has never thought about marriage for himself, but thinks the idea so preposterous that he didn't even pause to think of his own words. He aches for Ace, who still believes that he has the blood of the devil, and who still feels that he's a burden upon others. Ace, who automatically assumes that not only would no one want to marry him, but Ace himself would never wish that connection upon someone else, as though it's a curse and not the blessing it should be.

There's a lot of things that Sabo wants to say. He wants to say that Ace deserves to be loved, and that he _is_ loved. He wants to tell him that he has his loving family, both Sabo and Luffy for sure, but this crew as well, and no doubt the Whitebeards too. He wants to tell Ace that anyone would be lucky to have him in their lives, in any form, whether that be marriage or brotherhood. Sabo would know.

But he also knows the words wouldn't get through to Ace, at least from Sabo. Sabo can already see how Ace's eyes would go dark, can hear his bitter little laugh, can hear him saying whatever to get Sabo off his back, but not meaning it at all as the darkness festers inside of him.

Sabo is Ace's brother, and he knows he still understands Ace in a way he doubts anyone else ever will. And he knows that for this, for Ace's deep-rooted self-hatred of himself, Sabo's words aren't enough.

But he also knows who _can_ get through to him.

And it's like the puzzle pieces have slotted into place, because Sabo suddenly knows how this should go.

From there, it's easy enough to set it in motion.

"Sorry, bad question," Sabo says, making sure Ace can hear just how insincere he is, and that this isn't over, but Sabo's letting it go for now. "You don't need to say anything, but here's what I've been thinking."

Up till now, Sabo was sitting, leaning back against his arms and looking down on his brothers. Now, he shifts so that he's lying down beside them, turned to the side with his head propped up on one arm. Ace blinks at the sudden proximity, and Sabo makes sure to maintain eye contact.

"I've been thinking, it might be nice for _me_ to get married, one day," Sabo begins, and Ace blinks again.

"Oh...congrats?" Ace seems completely thrown by this new topic change, and Sabo thinks it's cute. The last time they regularly had conversations like this, they were ten. They're adults now, and neither of them have really adjusted, because they haven't had the time or opportunity. This certainly isn't a conversation they would have had back then.

"We're twenty now, that's a fair age to start a family," Sabo points out.

Ace squints. "You're a Revolutionary, planning to take down the _World Government_."

Sabo winces, and quashes the bitterness he feels towards Dragon regarding this, as well as the low coil of discomfort at the thought of Sabo himself repeating the cycle of poor parenting--because that's not the point here. "True, but it doesn't mean I can't start thinking about it. Of course, I already have someone in mind."

Ace still looks dubious, but decides to play along, and suddenly looks a different kind of nervous. "...Koala? I hope it's not Koala..."

Sabo blinks.

" _No_ , Ace, it's not her but....wait, why do you hope it's not Koala?"

Ace flushes. "Well, since it seems like uh, she and Thatch, y'know..."

Sabo gapes.

Some dots connect, or rather Sabo sees the dots that Ace must have mistakenly connected, and he barely manages to hold himself back from groaning out loud. "Ace...did you think Koala and Thatch were...?"

" _I didn't mean to!_ But ah, I accidentally walked in on them a few times and..."

Poor Ace's face is going so red that his freckles have disappeared, and Sabo momentarily forgets what they were talking about because _how could his brother be so far off the mark_.

"Ace," Sabo says slowly. "There is nothing going on between Koala and Thatch, at least the kind of thing you're imagining. Thatch is...very much not Koala's type."

The crimson on his brother's face slowly fades, replaced by confused relief. "Because...you're her type?"

" _No_ Ace, I'm not her type either. In fact, while we're at it, you aren't either."

Ace blinks. "So uh, she doesn't like...tall people?"

"Ace," Sabo says flatly. "Koala's gay and likes ladies. _Luffy's_ her type."

"...I knew that."

They blink at each other, perfect mirrors.

Ace coughs awkwardly. "So uh, if it's not Koala..."

Sabo sighs. "You shouldn't have to guess, I've already told you who."

Ace continues to look completely and utterly blank.

"Ten years ago..."

Sabo sees the moment it clicks.

A shared memory: _Sabo and Ace are ten, and Luffy's dozing on a river bank, her tail hanging in the water, her two brothers slightly down stream in case she drifts. The river looks green, reflecting the trees above, and Sabo and Ace have their shoes off, swirling their bare toes in the crystal clear water. Sabo turns to Ace, and says..._

"You still like her?" Ace asks quietly.

"There's never been any other, never will be," Sabo states, and it's the truth, he knew it the moment his memories came back. He thinks that a part of him must have known before he remembered too. "It doesn't matter that we thought she was a guy back then, or that it's been ten years and we've all grown. She's it for me."

Ace breaks eye contact, and his gaze wanders uncomfortably, and for all the brawn he's grown into, in that moment he looks just like he did when he was scrawny and ten.

"...I see," he eventually says.

"So you see, even if Luffy doesn't know anything about marriage now...I might want her to, for the future." Sabo says with a small smile, and savors Ace's rapidly growing unease. "And anyway, we're her older brothers. It's better that she learns this stuff from us, don't you think?"

"...Sabo?"

Ace jolts, and looks down to see Luffy slowly blinking up at him, before her eyes shift to their other brother.

"Morning, Lu," Sabo says. "You woke up at a good time, I want to tell you something."

"Sabo," Ace warns, but he's pushed down when he tries to get up by none other than Luffy herself as she repositions her body to see Sabo better while still comfortably resting her entire weight on Ace.

"Luffy," Sabo says, reaching across the small gap between them to cup her face in his ungloved hand. She fits it right in there, soft, squishy rubber skin pressing against Sabo's calloused fingers, blinking at him curiously and oh so terribly innocently and trustingly.

Sabo's heart feels strange, simultaneously so full in strains, yet also squeezed too impossibly tight. He knows why he feels this way, and expects it, and lets the feeling wash over him because it's only natural he feels like this, and he embraces it.

"Luffy, I love you," Sabo says, and Ace's breath catches.

"I love you too!" Luffy responds without missing a beat, and Sabo can feel her lips curving against his palm just as clearly as he can see her smile.

He hears Ace heave a sigh of relief beneath her.

"And do you love Ace?" Sabo asks, his tone teasing as Ace chokes.

"Duh! I love Ace too!" Luffy wraps her arms around Ace's torso and squeezes to make her point. She then notices that Ace is looking away, and pops her face out of Sabo's hand to crawl up Ace's chest, grab his head, and force it to turn towards her. "Ace, I love you," she repeats from point blank range, and Sabo can only imagine the view Ace is getting.

"Yeah, yeah," Ace mumbles, his face going red again as he struggles in vain to escape her iron hold. Luffy nods at the acknowledgement and lets go, satisfied, but Sabo inwardly tuts. _He_ isn't satisfied with Ace's answer, but Sabo will follow Luffy's lead and let it go for now, if only because Ace has been given a bit too much info to chew on at the moment, and they can work on this later.

"Luffy, even though we love you, and you love us, there are a lot of kinds of love out there," Sabo says, and he doesn't need to even see Ace to notice the flare in his Haki signature when his heart rate picks up.

"What are you doing?" Ace hisses, but Sabo ignores him.

"There are a lot of ways to express love too, other than just saying it."

Luffy frowns, not quite following, but listening. "I like hugging," Luffy offers after a beat, and Sabo strokes her hair with pride.

"Hugging is a fine way of expressing love," he agrees. "But here's another."

"Sabo!" Ace realizes too late what Sabo's going to do, but Sabo's already moving.

Luffy blinks as she feels something soft brush her cheek. It's only the lightest, briefest touch, before Sabo's pulling away.

Luffy cocks her head, and pokes her cheek.

"You know what that was, Lu?"

Her brows furrow with concentration. "...A kiss?"

"Yeah," Sabo smiles. "That was a kiss."

"Sabo, what are you _doing_?" Ace whispers urgently, but is once again ignored.

"Some people kiss to show love, in addition to hugs," Sabo explains patiently.

"Thatch and Sanji kiss my hand a lot," Luffy observes. "And I also saw people kiss in Fuusha! Some guys at the bar tried to kiss Makino. She didn't like that much, so I punched 'em." Luffy frowns here.

"Kisses, like hugs, are special, and you should only do them to people who want it, and you should only accept them from people you love," Sabo says, picking up on Luffy's confusion. "Makino didn't like the men at the bar, so she didn't want kisses. Do you mind the kisses from Thatch and Sanji?"

"No," Luffy shrugs. "I didn't get why they did it, but I didn't mind. But it was because they like me!" Luffy grins, giving her usual _shi shi shi_ laugh. "I like them too! Should I kiss them back?" She pauses contemplatively.

" _No!_ " Sabo and Ace snarl in unison, and Luffy blinks at them.

"Well, you could," Sabo reluctantly amends, "but Thatch and Sanji aren't expecting you to. You accepting their kisses to the hand are signaling enough that you like them. Kisses to different body parts mean different things, and not all have to be returned."

Luffy looks adorably confused, and Sabo briefly glimpses her expression mirrored on Ace before his fellow older brother schools his expression to neutrality.

"Because see Lu, kisses to the cheek, to the forehead...these are the kinds of things that family can do, if you're comfortable with that."

"Makino's kissed me on the head before," Luffy nods.

"Yes, like Makino. So when I just kissed you on the cheek, that was because we're family."

"We're brothers!" Luffy sparkles, and Sabo inwardly curses, because _fuck_ his little brother really is the cutest. He buries his fingers in her hair almost reflexively, and Ace sighs, exasperated at Sabo's inability to keep his hands off of her.

"Yes, we are," Sabo agrees, "so if you wanted to do that back to me or Ace, that'd be alright. But, hear me out first Lu--" because Luffy had looked about to leap at Sabo's face, "there's one other thing I want to tell you about first, alright?"

"This is complicated," Luffy pouts.

"Just one more, okay? Regarding kisses that go _here_."

Sabo slides his hand down to the front of Luffy's face, and gently presses his index finger to her slightly chapped, but still so very soft lips. They part slightly, and Sabo smiles fondly when she goes slightly cross-eyed trying to follow his hand.

"Kisses to the lips are usually considered extra special," Sabo says quietly, but in that tone that he uses only when he's being extra serious, and Luffy needs to pay attention. "Most people only do it to people they're _romantically_ in love with."

Luffy's lips turn down in a little frown against Sabo's finger. "I'm not sure what that is," she says, and Sabo feels the words against his skin.

"It's a type of love, that's usually different from that of family and friends, though you can love the same people in many ways at the same time," Sabo decides to say. "You might not know what it is right now, and that's okay. Just know that you should be careful who you allow to kiss you on the lips, and who _you_ kiss on the lips."

Luffy still looks confused, and her breath comes in moist puffs against Sabo's finger. He should move it, he thinks, but he doesn't, and instead squishes her plump lower lip for the sake of it, savoring the feeling of how plush it is.

"Why?" Luffy asks, and her body suddenly shifts as Ace moves, sitting up and taking her with him. Sabo pouts when the movement takes her away from his hand, no doubt intentionally, but he lets it go, watching as Ace expertly rearranges her on his lap. Sabo also sits up to join them.

"'Cause when you kiss someone on the lips, it can be like a promise," Ace says, startling Sabo with his input. "Because if someone kisses you there, it might mean that they're promising to not kiss anyone else like that, because they're telling you you're special. So if you accept that, it's like you telling them that you also won't kiss anyone else like that."

Sabo's impressed by Ace's explanation. It's simple, and perhaps too innocent a definition--but it may be the right definition for Luffy to start with.

"So if I kiss someone on the lips...I can't kiss anyone else like that?" Luffy looks concerned.

"Not necessarily, but you'd have to make sure," Sabo says. "You'd have to make sure that the other person knows how you feel, and that you know how they feel. Some people might be okay with you kissing other people, but others might feel hurt that you want to."

"What about you, Sabo?" Luffy asks, and Sabo barely holds in the flinch because wow that's _direct_ , and this is sooner than he expected to answer to question.

"What about me, Lu?" He asks, wondering if he can distract her.

"If I want to kiss you," and suddenly she's right in his face, breath puffing across Sabo's lips, "does that mean I can't also kiss Ace?"

Sabo needs to distract himself, because Luffy is _too close_ , and if he just...

He tears his gaze away from her pink lips, her sun-kissed skin, the stray inky black hairs that tickle his own face. Her question. Ah yes, whether she can kiss him, and also kiss Ace...

Sabo finds he doesn't know how to answer, and he forces his eyes to look past Luffy to meet Ace's intense gaze.

He hadn't quite thought this far, and perhaps that was his miscalculation here but...he'd be okay with that, Sabo realizes. Because it's Ace, and Ace will always be as special to him as Luffy.

He wonders how Ace would answer.

Sabo doesn't get the chance to reply though, because they hear a "Snack's ready!" from the deck, and Luffy springs away, her attention shifted.

"Snack's ready!" she cries, and then she's gone, leaving Sabo and Ace alone on the roof with the strange, unresolved tension still lingering around them.

"...Sabo, what are you _doing_ ," Ace sighs, scrubbing his hand through his hair.

"I'm getting her started in thinking about this," Sabo says, feeling composed again now that Luffy's no longer a hairsbreadth away from kissing him. He rolls lightly to his feet, and slips his glove back on before offering his hand to Ace.

Ace takes his hand. "But _why_."

"Because, Ace--" Sabo pulls, and uses Ace's momentum to bring them face to face, almost as close as Luffy just was, and Ace's eyes widen. "I'm not going to wait until Luffy's someone else's bride."

Sabo sees something shift in Ace's dark eyes, and his lips curl. He gently bumps their noses together, their breaths mingling, before backing off, sauntering in the direction of snack time.

He's set something in motion, Sabo knows.

_Your move, Ace._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!!! This was definitely one of the most nerve-wracking chapters to write...  
> I've been feeling really exhausted and in a slump with this AU, and am kinda worried because I haven't had the motivation to write, and we're almost caught up to what I've written for On the Courtship. I'm trying desperately to kick my ass into shape, but I'm so Tired ;_; If anyone enjoyed this update or this AU as a whole, any encouraging words or comments would help so much ;_;


	10. Revelations on the Moby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are revealed on the Moby. Pops gets involved.

Marco's very aware that the other Commanders have been acting a bit strange around him, but he hadn't thought much of it. If it's something important, he trusts that they'll tell him, and because no one has come forward, he assumed it was something stupid, like a prank or a joke.

He soon realizes that it's not just them though--almost everyone on the crew seems to be in on it.

At first it's just people avoiding eye contact. But then he begins hearing hushed whispers as he passes, and notices huddled groups of brothers scattering like startled schools of fish whenever they sense him approaching.

It's...odd, because usually Commander Pranks remain within Commanders so as not to put any undue pressure on their subordinates, but Marco's beginning to wonder if that may be the whole point of this particular prank: to get everyone on the crew, including non-officer brothers, to act like Marco's out of the loop.

If so, it's a terribly dumb and childish prank. It doesn't seem to be affecting anyone's work so Marco can't exactly scold them, but it's succeeding in distracting _Marco_ , and is honestly getting annoying.

And, well. If they're in on it, then Marco can get them to spill. Most non-Commander brothers wouldn't dare to hide something from him if asked directly. He feels a bit guilty pulling rank, but this has gone on far enough.

So the next time Marco sees a brother quickly glance at him before trying to scuttle away, he calls him to a halt. The poor man freezes, and reluctantly turns around. Marco identifies him as Goose, a man in Thatch's Fourth Division, in the ingredients gathering unit, whose main assignment consists of keeping track of poultry stocks. And because his Commander is currently away, he has no one to hide behind, and no one to tattle to. In other words, a perfect subject to extract information from.

"Goose, is there something that you and the others would like to share with me?" Marco does his best to sound kind. It's probably not the man's fault, and he'll gladly direct his scolding at the proper Commander who deserves it.

"Commander Marco! Sir," the man's gone pale and frantic, having never been addressed directly by Marco before. His eyes swim left and right, but all other brothers have quickly left immediate conversing range so as to avoid getting dragged in, though Marco can sense them watching their confrontation from the shadows.

"I've noticed that you and our other brothers have been acting...odd, around myself. If someone put you up to it, I won't ask you for details, but I could use a name, yoi," Marco says encouragingly.

"I..." Goose begs with his eyes at some other Fourth members hiding behind a mast, but they all avoid eye contact. "I...uh...just wanted to say, _congratulations!_ Sir!"

Marco blinks.

Before he can question the man, someone calls for him, and in the second Marco looks away, Goose flees.

~~

It's like speaking to Goose broke the silence code or whatever it was, because in the days following the incident, Marco is told the same words more times than he can count.

Every time he speaks with someone, they say _congratulations!_ first.

Now the exact opposite of avoiding him, almost every brother he passes stops him to tell him _congratulations!_ instead.

Marco has the fleeting thought that this might be a fad picked up on some island, the new _Hello_ , except he hasn't heard anyone say it to anyone other than Marco.

And if this is a prank, it really, _really_ has gone on far too long, except everyone Marco has spoken to seems nothing but painfully genuine.

Which has left Marco feeling lost.

He has no idea why he's being congratulated.

There aren't too many situations when an entire crew would congratulate a senior officer, at least to his knowledge. He hasn't been on any missions other than routine ones. Sure, Marco's defeated plenty of rogue pirates, even in the past few days, but nothing out of the ordinary, certainly none that would warrant a _congratulations_. The word is one he's heard so rarely that it's jarring now that it seems to have entered the crew's daily vocabulary.

He finally even corners a Commander, Jozu, and asks bluntly, "Why are people congratulating me?"

To which Jozu simply shrugs his massive shoulders helplessly. "To congratulate you? And oh yeah, congrats!"

Delightfully helpful, that.

Marco honestly has no clue what it could possibly mean.

Except...that's a lie. If he rules this out as a prank, he does have _one_ possible inkling, and it's one that he desperately wants to avoid thinking about. He wants this to be a prank, he'd rather _anything_ but that. But as more time passes, and the number of _congratulations_ mount, Marco eventually forces himself to face the possibility.

One possible reason to congratulate someone is...a promotion.

It would explain the secrecy, if everyone's waiting for a formal announcement, and explain everyone's refusal to voice it even when it's clear that Marco's noticed something. It would explain how widespread it is, since it would affect the whole crew. It might explain why people seem happy about it, or at least happy to Marco's face.

Marco's the first mate, the second in command of the Whitebeard pirates' fleet.

There's only one position he could be promoted to.

Which could only mean one thing.

_Pops is retiring._

The moment those words crystalize in Marco's head, vertigo causes his head to spin, and he's glad he's lying down in his own bed. It doesn't make it any more comforting.

Marco didn't want to acknowledge the reality that this was bound to happen, eventually. He knows more than anyone that Pops's health is declining; he takes detailed reports from the medical team every day, reading everything that Pops himself stubbornly refuses to look at. Marco also personally checks him, does his best to soothe Pops's joints with his flames even when he's waved away.

He knows that neither he nor anyone else can stop the inevitable: aging.

Pops is still every man he was in his youth, and has only grown greater with experience, but his body isn't what it once was. It bears its years and shows it.

Marco can't envision the Whitebeard pirates without Pops, can't imagine the crew or _himself_ under anyone else's leadership, or without his massive, protective presence at the core of the family they've built. He sees the numbers and the evidence, but he doesn't want to acknowledge the reality that one day, Pops won't be here.

And perhaps that's his failing. As the next in command, Marco should, and _needs_ to have a contingency plan, beyond a vague understanding that leadership would fall to him. Because it doesn't matter that Marco wants to sail forever under Pops--he can't. None of them can. And people are counting on him.

Even if Marco doesn't want to become captain, and never has, and never will.

(A large part of him thinks he'd rather someone else take the position. For all that Marco knows he bears responsibility well, and is already acting Captain in many ways, he's never had any desire for a true leadership position. He's happier acting support. He honestly thinks someone like Thatch, who has friendly open charisma and can balance charm with strictness, would be better suited for captain. It doesn't help at all that Thatch isn't here to consult at the moment.)

But in the end, if the rumors are to be believed, Marco doesn't have a choice. If people are _congratulating_ him, it must mean it's already decided.

The reality is that Marco knows he can't stop Pops from aging. And the reality is also that their crew, their family isn't _just_ Pops, and Marco has a responsibility to look after all of them. They _must_ go on after Pops is gone, whether to retirement or to death. And Marco owes it to both his brothers and to Pops to keep his personal emotions checked, and do whatever needs to be done to ensure that he can protect that which is most dear to him.

Marco honestly has a hard time imagining Pops _retiring_. It seems such a quiet civilian thing to do, such a contrast against the vibrant adventures and passion of the man called _the Strongest in the World_. But Marco also knows that Pops is sentimental, and that as much as he loves the life at sea, he also cherishes the quiet, and part of him is attached to the thought of a home on land.

All of the Commanders know that Pops sends his share of their treasure to support his hometown on Sphinx. Marco has seen the village, a tiny place hidden away in the valleys. He honestly can't imagine Pops living there but...he also can't say he hates the image, of Pops relaxing in the lush green fields, away from the fighting, the thousands upon thousands of lives counting on him, looking up to and relying on him constantly.

Pops deserves that, Marco thinks reluctantly. Although a part of him believes Pops will go out with a bang, observed by the world, like Roger...Pops and Roger are completely different men, with different ambitions and different things they cherish.

Pops deserves to be able to retire.

Which means that Marco...Marco needs to step up.

~~

It's after their next Commanders meeting that Marco halts everyone before they can leave. They're all assembled before Pops, sitting in a ring the massive meeting room. If there's ever a time to make things clear, it's now, Marco's decided.

"I've heard...some interesting rumors, this past week," Marco begins, and notices that several of the Commanders are shifting uneasily. So they _do_ know something. Namur in particularly looks bluer than usual. "I've also been congratulated without explanation by what seems like the entire crew. If I could please have some clarification, now's the time."

There are a few beats of silence, and Marco's eyes flick to Pops. He gets why Pops may have talked to his other brothers first, but also admittedly feels hurt that he wasn't consulted before the decision was made. But perhaps there just wasn't anything to consult about. He's hoping that Pops will speak up now, rather than putting any of their brothers on the spot. This news should, after all, come directly from Pops and no one else.

Instead, Pops _hmms_ , a low, rumbling sound that seems to vibrate the planks beneath their feet.

"I, too, have heard some interesting rumors. Do you have anything to tell us, my son?"

Pops is looking expectantly at Marco.

In fact, everyone is looking expectantly at Marco, seemingly with great anticipation.

This...isn't how Marco expected this to go down.

"I..." Marco's throat feels dry, and he's not used to feeling like this, and has never felt like this since the time he was first promoted from "cabin boy" to suddenly Commander. He's the composed one at these meetings, the one who guides everyone else. He's not used to feeling tested, and the pressure is unbearable, knowing what this could be about.

Marco takes a deep breath.

"I can do what needs to be done," he manages, before his voice breaks.

Maybe he can't do this after all.

Quieter, he asks, "Pops, are you retiring?"

Pops blinks.

"Wait, what?" Rakuyo gapes, and he's echoed by the other commanders, all a mix of bewildered turmoil that breaks the tension and leaves Marco feeling off kilter.

"I'm not retiring, son," Pops says slowly. "What made you think I was?"

Marco blinks.

"...Is that not what's been happening behind my back?" He can barely even enjoy the sudden rush of _relief_ roaring in his ears...because if not that, then what is even going on?

"What the hell are you talking about, Marco?" Vista looks both terribly spooked and confused, a look mirrored by the other Commanders, and likely even Marco himself. "Pops isn't retiring!...right?"

"I am not," Pops repeats, and while their captain couldn't possibly look spooked, he looks concerned. "Marco, explain."

"The...congratulations, and secrecy..." Marco doesn't even know what he's talking about anymore.

"That's about your damn _wedding_!"

All heads snap to Izo, whose face looks slightly flushed.

Marco blinks, again.

"My _what_ now?"

"It's not a wedding yet, unless things have changed?" Namur hastily interjects, looking at Marco hopefully, but Marco's still too busy gaping.

"Wedding, marriage, proposal, it all comes as a set," Haruta assures. "Marco's not getting out of a wedding, as soon as the proposal is confirmed." He turns his large, eager eyes on Marco. "So out with it now, since we're no longer beating around the bush. _Did she say yes?_ "

Marco has no idea what to say.

"My... _what_? Who is she?" He looks helplessly at Pops, who at least seems to have picked up on Marco's confusion.

"Don't play coy," Izo snaps. "Everyone here knows! And you said yourself that Ace wouldn't mind other Commanders knowing!"

"What does Ace have to do with anything?" There are too many completely disconnected things being thrown at Marco's face at once, and he's utterly failing at linking them into anything coherent.

"His _baby brother!_ The mermaid girl! Your girlfriend, who _you proposed to!_ "

The first two statements out of Izo's mouth make sense. The next two statements... _what_.

"I don't have a girlfriend," Marco says numbly.

"Oh, right, because she's Ace's _brother_. Fine, _boyfriend._ Or lover, or significant other, you know what I mean, stop avoiding the question. Answer it, bluebird," Izo demands.

"I'm not avoiding anything, I'm not seeing anyone," Marco says, feeling helplessly washed along by Izo's words. He's subconsciously drifting towards Pops. It's definitely not because he wants to hide behind him.

"What the hell, you can't propose to someone you're not even seeing," this time Vista interjects, and he sounds accusing.

"I didn't _propose_ to anyone either!" Marco's desperately trying to think of what could have made his brothers think this, but he's coming up with thin air, though he's also so confused he can barely process.

"Yes you did!" Izo and Haruta say at once.

"I've never even met the girl!"

Marco wonders if he could have possibly said something to Ace that could have been taken that way, but if anything, hinting at interest in his baby brother seems like the _last_ thing anyone with sense would do in front of Ace...

"You did though, propose, that is," Namur says quietly, and Marco's attention snaps to him, because this seems like the last kind of thing the ever respectful fishman would be involved in.

"Please, enlighten me."

"The bauble...the one I saw you send to Thatch, for her," Namur avoids Marco's eyes, and wrings his hands, as though he feels deeply personally guilty for having observed it.

"The... _oh_."

Marco remembers the trinket. A small glass bauble, brilliant turquoise with hints of gold, with a core of seastone and something else that he'd contributed. He'd sent it to Thatch, to gift to Ace's little brother.

"What of the bauble?" Marco asks warily.

"You got it from the famous jewelry store, the one on the outskirts of Fishman Island, run by a mermaid couple," Namur seems to be pushing himself, and Izo rubs his shoulder encouragingly.

"I did," Marco confirms, "a jellyfish mermaid, and a manta ray mermaid, they were memorable. Although, they weren't running a famous jewelry store yet, back then. And I didn't buy the bauble, it was gifted to me, as thanks for helping them."

"They now run a luxury jewelry store, one of the most famous on all of Fishman Island, and you can't find products like theirs anywhere else."

"I've been told that wrapping seastone in glass is their own original craft," Marco agrees. "What does this have to do with proposing?"

Namur suddenly looks a bit green around the gills, as though he's figured something out, and clams up. Izo takes over. "It's apparently a wedding tradition now, for those who can afford it," he states. "Sending one to a merperson or fishman is the equivalent of giving a human an engagement ring."

Marco blinks yet again.

"I...was unaware of that, and I'm glad they've become so successful. But as I said before, they weren't that established yet, when I received the bauble. In fact, they'd just opened shop. That custom couldn't possibly have existed yet, the bauble they made me was one of their first. I didn't mean it as a proposal, just a gift..."

A beat, then...

"So there's _no wedding?!_ "

Izo and Rakuyo look absolutely livid. The other commanders look mildly uncomfortable, with the exception of Namur who looks about to faint. "Oh, no, oh _no_ ," the Fishman mumbles, leaning back fully against Jozu who'd come around to support him.

"So it was all a misunderstanding," Marco says, mostly to himself, and feels his metaphorical feathers settling. "That's all it was."

_A misunderstanding_.

"I'm so disappointed in you," Haruta groans, and Marco sighs.

"You're not disappointed _in_ me, you're just disappointed, and it's not my job to be your entertainment. And even if I knew the girl, I wouldn't do that to Thatch, yoi," Marco's glad he can manage exasperation now, and feels mildly back to normal.

_It was all just a misunderstanding. Pops will still be here_.

"What the hell does Thatch have to do with anything?" Izo says bitterly, with an impressive scowl now that his fun has been ruined.

Marco contemplates whether it would be a breach of confidentiality to say anything, but decides that until Thatch gets back, Marco's essentially his messenger to the crew, and he makes the decision that his brother wouldn't mind.

"Thatch likes her. The girl, Ace's little brother."

Izo's scowl deepens. "So what? Thatch always likes cute girls."

"No, as in he _likes_ her, yoi."

A few of the Commanders snort. "If you say so," Izo says dubiously, "but Thatch proposes all the damn time, he's no fun compared to you."

"Like I _said_ , I'm not your entert--"

"Marco," Pops rumbles, and everyone shuts up. "So you are not getting married?"

"No, Pops," Marco says, feeling confident for the first time in a while. "I'm not. I haven't proposed to anyone, so there are no marriages, and certainly no weddings. In fact, I'm not even seeing anyone, though," he pauses here to shoot his brothers a heavy glare, "I don't see how that's anyone's business."

"Of course it's our business, we're family, it's our _job_ to get into your business," Haruta exclaims, but Marco strongly disagrees with that definition of family and ignores him to return his attention to Pops.

"I see," Pops says, and he sounds a bit...disappointed.

_Oh, no,_ Marco thinks.

Pops is _sad_.

"I would have liked to see you get married," Pops says slowly, and suddenly he looks so very, very old.

Unbidden, the thought rises: _Pops is here now, but he won't always be._

"The last time there was a wedding on board...was Oden and Toki," Pops continues. "That was a _good_ wedding."

Everyone listens in silence as Pops's _gurarara_ laughter echoes in the room. It _had_ been a good wedding, one of such exuberant joy that it's still vibrant in their minds, so many decades later.

"I would have liked to officiate another wedding, for one of my beloved sons," Pops says.

They all hear the unsaid _one last time_. Marco flinches.

"But, I understand. It was a misunderstanding."

Marco suddenly feels completely hollow, his momentary relief and confidence gone. There's nothing he hates worse than making Pops feel disappointed, and he tries his hardest every day to do him proud. He knows this isn't his fault, but...

"Now, look at what you did," Izo hisses. Marco feels inclined to agree, even if he knows he shouldn't.

"I'm sorry, Pops," Marco says, and feels regret despite himself. "I didn't mean to get your hopes up."

"It's alright, my son, your silly old man just let his daydreams go too far," Pops says, and his mighty form seems to sag, even as he flattens Marco's hair gently with his massive hand.

It fails to comfort Marco.

Because in that moment, the fearsome Emperor of the Sea is nowhere to be seen, and in his place is just an elderly man who had thought one of his children was getting married. It's a reminder that under all his power, Pops, too, can be just a man with normal, ordinary wants, some of which are simple and selfish, but are a part of him nonetheless.

And apparently, seeing his children expand their family through marriage had been one of those wants.

"Well...you never know, maybe Thatch _will_ get successful with the girl," Jozu offers tentatively, and Pops visibly perks up.

"Or, Marco could fall in love after he meets her," Vista eagerly adds.

"That's not going to happen, yoi."

"Right, right, because you're not gonna steal Thatch's crush because you're too _honorable_ , or in other words, boring," Izo snorts.

"You could have a threesome! I mean, a three-way marriage," Rakuyo butts in.

"What--"

"Oh?" Pops leans forward and the chair beneath him groans, and the other Commanders beam. "I would be happy to officiate that."

"We can definitely still have a wedding, in fact, I think we're much overdue," Izo announces, and the other Commanders all cheer. Pops is in a noticeably better mood.

"Hey, wait--"

"It's Ace's little brother, I'm sure she's something special," Jozu offers.

"And if not, there are other fish in the sea!"

"Ace's little brother...Luffy, was it? She's a D..." Pops murmurs.

"I'm sure she would make an excellent daughter-in-law," Vista smiles encouragingly.

"Daughter-in-law..." Pops's lips curve up at the word, and Vista and Izo high five, and Marco has a bad feeling.

"Y'know, actually I think Ace himself might have a thing for her," Haruta says contemplatively.

"A foursome? Four-way marriage," Rakuyo quickly amends.

"I said I'm not--"

"Shut it, and why don't you contribute," Izo elbows Marco, and then hisses quietly in his ear, "Don't make Pops sad!"

"I...would support Thatch," Marco offers helplessly.

"And you! We want to see _your_ wedding!" Haruta insists.

"Well--"

"There's going to be a wedding, we'll make it happen for sure! You can count on us, Pops!" Izo stands boldly right in front of Pops, arms crossed against his chest. "And there's nothing _you_ can do to stop us!" A manicured finger points dead straight at Marco, as if he's standing opposed to them, which he's not.

"I look forward to it," Pops laughs, and it seems to shake the whole room, which has erupted into cheers.

Marco feels incredibly left behind, even though he feels he ought to understand what's going on now. How did they get here again?

He feels a light touch on his elbow, and looks up.

"I am so, _so_ incredibly sorry," Namur mumbles, looking very much like he wants to melt into the floor.

"It's alright," Marco sighs. "I don't think there's anything either of us can do to stop them now."

Although, Marco thinks to himself, there's still no way _he's_ personally getting married.

_Thatch_ , _you'd better win that girl over..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick overview of who everyone ships in this AU atm:
> 
> Straw Hats: Themselves x Luffy, except after Ace figures his shit out.  
> Thatch: Ace x Luffy, himself x Luffy, grudgingly Marco x Luffy if he's serious  
> Sabo: Ace x Luffy, Sabo x Luffy, Ace x Luffy x Sabo???  
> Whitebeards: Marco x Luffy!!!  
> Marco: ...Thatch x Luffy?  
> Whitebeard himself: at least one of my Sons x Luffy, not picky who  
> Ace: ???? Thatch x Koala????? Or I guess not????  
> Luffy: Ships are awesome, we're sailing on one!
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading! And thank you so, SO MUCH to everyone who commented on the last chapter, that was by far the most comments i've ever received on any of my fic chapters SOBS. Y'all really made my day!
> 
> I'm still kinda lagging behind on this, and unless I get my ass into gear and manage to write some more, this particular work may go on temporary hiatus from weekly updates until I make some more progress. All 3 of the other works in this series should still be able to update regularly.
> 
> If anyone wants to help motivate me to write more, please do consider leaving a kudos and/or comment! They really help me so much ;A;

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading and for giving this a shot! Any feedback, comments, kudos, encouragement, anything at all is greatly appreciated!!! (I have a lot of backlog for this, and posting schedule is determined by feedback ;D)
> 
> This AU has been posted in advance on my social medias, and I'm just slowly compiling it here. If you would like to see the all currently posted works, please check out my [**TUMBLR**](https://yukipri.tumblr.com/) or [**TWITTER**](https://twitter.com/YukiPri_Art) (twitter contains just art)!
> 
> Also, while I adore and am incredibly grateful for any comments anywhere, if you're interested in asking me longer questions regarding this AU or prompts for Ship's Log/Side Notes, I'm still accepting them on Tumblr! But, I'd really appreciate if you could first check out my already posted asks and guidelines, which you can view [**HERE**](https://yukipri.tumblr.com/post/625291826616827904/one-piece-mermaid-au-text-headcanons-compilation)!
> 
> Thanks so much!  
> Love,  
> ~YukiPri (Kazu)


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